Apparatus and methods for child-resistant vaporization devices

ABSTRACT

A vaporization device could contain an amount of vaporization substance that is potentially harmful if ingested. Children may be particularly at risk. Child-resistant covers that releasably engage a chamber of a vaporization device and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber are disclosed. The vaporization device could also include a stem, an atomizer, a base, and a battery compartment. The child-resistant cover could require a user to perform multiple operations to disengage the child-resistant cover from the chamber. These operations could include, for example, one or more of: rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber; pushing at least a portion of the child-resistant cover towards the chamber; compressing a portion of the child-resistant cover; and pulling at least a portion of the child-resistant cover away from the chamber.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Canadian patent application 3,017,562 filed on 17 Sep. 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

This application relates generally to vaporization devices, and in particular to such devices, or parts of such devices, with features to provide child-resistance.

BACKGROUND

A vaporization device is used to vaporize substances for inhalation. These substances are referred to herein as vaporization substances, and could include, for example, cannabis products, tobacco products, herbs, and/or flavorants. In some cases, active substances in cannabis, tobacco, or other plants or materials are extracted to generate concentrates. These active substances could include cannabinoids from cannabis, and nicotine from tobacco. In other cases, the synthetic active substances are artificially manufactured. Terpenes are common flavorant vaporization substances, and could be generated from natural essential oils or artificially.

Vaporization substances could be in the form of loose leaf in the case of cannabis, tobacco, and herbs, for example, or in the form of concentrates or derivative products such as liquids, waxes, or gels, for example. Active substances, whether intended for flavor or some other effect, could be mixed with other compounds such as propylene glycol, glycerin, medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil and/or water to adjust the viscosity of a final vaporization sub stance.

In a vaporization device, the vaporization substance is heated to the vaporization point of one or more active substances. This produces a vapor, which may also be referred to as an aerosol. The vapor is then inhaled by a user through an air channel that is provided in the vaporization device, and often through a hose or pipe that is part of or attached to the vaporization device.

SUMMARY

At least some vaporization substances are potentially harmful. For example, a vaporization substance could include an active substance in an amount that is harmful if ingested at once. As such, a need exists for vaporization substance containers, including vaporization devices and/or other types of containers for vaporization substances, with child-resistant features that inhibit access to the container.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cartridge for a vaporization device, the cartridge comprising: a chamber for a vaporization substance; and a child-resistant cover to releasably engage the chamber and seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover is configured to require a user to perform a plurality of operations to disengage the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover is further configured to require the user to perform the plurality of operations simultaneously.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises pushing at least a portion of the child-resistant cover towards the chamber.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises compressing a portion of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises pulling at least a portion of the child-resistant cover away from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises threads and the child-resistant cover comprises threads to engage the threads of the chamber.

In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a stem.

In some embodiments, the stem comprises threads and the child-resistant cover comprises threads to engage threads of the stem.

In some embodiments, the threads of the child-resistant cover comprise threads that extend radially outwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the threads of the child-resistant cover also or instead comprise threads extend radially inwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a mouth-piece.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a first component and a second component.

In some embodiments, the first component or the second component comprises a mouth-piece.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a cooperative engagement to connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the cooperative engagement permits rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a first protrusion and the second component comprises a second protrusion to engage the first protrusion and connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion extends radially outwards and the second protrusion extends radially inwards.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion comprises a first annular protrusion and the second protrusion comprises a second annular protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a clutch to releasably engage the first component with the second component and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a rib and the second component comprises a groove to engage the rib and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component is biased relative to the second component by a resilient member.

In some embodiments, the first component and the second component are pushed apart by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the first component and the second component are pulled together by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the resilient member comprises at least one of a spring and a gasket.

In some embodiments, the groove comprises a slanted edge.

In some embodiments, the rib comprises a slanted edge.

In some embodiments, the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the slanted edge of the groove and/or the slanted edge of the rib.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a first aperture to releasably engage with a rigid member and the second component comprises a second aperture to releasably engage with the rigid member, wherein the rigid member inhibits rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a sidewall to cover a portion of the second component.

In some embodiments, an outside wall of the second component comprises a bearing that is freely rotatable relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the bearing comprises a first aperture to releasably engage with a rigid member and the second component comprises a second aperture to releasably engage with the rigid member, wherein the rigid member inhibits rotation of the bearing relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a first protrusion and the child-resistant cover comprises a second protrusion to engage with the first protrusion and inhibit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a first protrusion and the child-resistant cover comprises a second protrusion to engage with the first protrusion, inhibit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion is an annular protrusion comprising a notch, and wherein the second protrusion comprises a tab that is passable through the notch to engage or disengage with the annular protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member, the resilient member comprising the second protrusion, wherein the resilient member is deformable to engage or disengage the second protrusion and the first protrusion.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a protrusion, the protrusion comprising a notch, and the child-resistant cover comprises a tab to engage the notch and inhibit a release of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the notch inhibits rotation of the tab relative to the protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a gasket to bias the child-resistant cover away from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the tab and the notch are reversibly engaged by the gasket.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a resilient member, the resilient member comprising the tab, wherein the resilient member is deformable to engage or disengage the tab and the notch.

In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a one-way lock to inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a direction.

In some embodiments, the one-way lock comprises a ratchet engagement.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a toothed surface and the child-resistant cover comprises a first pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member to bias the first pawl towards the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the first pawl and the toothed surface are reversibly engaged by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a lever to disengage the first pawl and the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a second pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the second direction and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the first direction.

In some embodiments, the lever engages the second pawl and the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a one-way drive to enable the rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and inhibit the rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction.

In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a release mechanism to permit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a resilient member comprising a tab, and the child-resistant cover comprises a notch to reversibly engage the tab and inhibit movement of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the resilient member biases the tab into engagement with the notch.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises an aperture, located adjacent to the notch, to receive a key and permit disengagement of the tab from the notch.

In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises an atomizer to vaporize the vaporization substance; and a base coupled to the atomizer.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus comprising: a child-resistant cover to releasably engage a vaporization device cartridge chamber and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover is configured to require a user to perform a plurality of operations to disengage the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover is further configured to require the user to perform the plurality of operations simultaneously.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises pushing at least a portion of the child-resistant cover towards the chamber.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises compressing a portion of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises pulling at least a portion of the child-resistant cover away from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises threads and the child-resistant cover comprises threads to engage the threads of the chamber.

In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a stem inside the chamber.

In some embodiments, the stem comprises threads and the child-resistant cover comprises threads to engage threads of the stem.

In some embodiments, the threads of the child-resistant cover comprise threads that extend radially outwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the threads of the child-resistant cover also or instead comprise threads that extend radially inwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a mouth-piece.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a first component and a second component.

In some embodiments, the first component or the second component comprises a mouth-piece.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a cooperative engagement to connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the cooperative engagement permits rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a first protrusion and the second component comprises a second protrusion to engage the first protrusion and connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion extends radially outwards and the second protrusion extends radially inwards.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion comprises a first annular protrusion and the second protrusion comprises a second annular protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a clutch to releasably engage the first component with the second component and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a rib and the second component comprises a groove to engage the rib and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component is biased relative to the second component by a resilient member.

In some embodiments, the first component and the second component are pushed apart by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the first component and the second component are pulled together by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the resilient member comprises at least one of a spring and a gasket.

In some embodiments, the groove comprises a slanted edge.

In some embodiments, the rib comprises a slanted edge.

In some embodiments, the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the slanted edge of the rib and/or the slanted edge of the groove.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a first aperture to releasably engage with a rigid member and the second component comprises a second aperture to releasably engage with the rigid member, wherein the rigid member inhibits rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a sidewall to cover a portion of the second component.

In some embodiments, an outside wall of the second component comprises a bearing that is freely rotatable relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the bearing comprises a first aperture to releasably engage with a rigid member and the second component comprises a second aperture to releasably engage with the rigid member, wherein the rigid member inhibits rotation of the bearing relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a first protrusion and the child-resistant cover comprises a second protrusion to engage with the first protrusion and inhibit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a first protrusion and the child-resistant cover comprises a second protrusion to engage with the first protrusion, inhibit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion is an annular protrusion comprising a notch, and wherein the second protrusion comprises a tab that is passable through the notch to engage or disengage with the annular protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member, the resilient member comprising the second protrusion, wherein the resilient member is deformable to engage or disengage the second protrusion and the first protrusion.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a protrusion, the protrusion comprising a notch, and the child-resistant cover comprises a tab to engage the notch and inhibit a release of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the notch inhibits rotation of the tab relative to the protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a gasket to bias the child-resistant cover away from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the tab and the notch are reversibly engaged by the gasket.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a resilient member, the resilient member comprising the tab, wherein the resilient member is deformable to engage or disengage the tab and the notch.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a one-way lock to inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a direction.

In some embodiments, the one-way lock comprises a ratchet engagement.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a toothed surface and the child-resistant cover comprises a first pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member to bias the first pawl towards the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the first pawl and the toothed surface are reversibly engaged by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a lever to disengage the first pawl and the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a second pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the second direction and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the first direction.

In some embodiments, the lever engages the second pawl and the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a one-way drive to enable the rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and inhibit the rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a release mechanism to permit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a resilient member comprising a tab, and the child-resistant cover comprises a notch to reversibly engage the tab and inhibit movement of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the resilient member biases the tab into engagement with the notch.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises an aperture, located adjacent to the notch, to receive a key and permit disengagement of the tab from the notch.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vaporization device comprising: a cartridge for a vaporization substance; a child-resistant cap to releasably engage the cartridge and seal the vaporization substance in the cartridge; an atomizer to vaporize the vaporization substance; a base coupled to the atomizer; and a battery coupled to the base to power the atomizer.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover is configured to require a user to perform a plurality of operations to disengage the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover is further configured to require the user to perform the plurality of operations simultaneously.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises pushing at least a portion of the child-resistant cover towards the chamber.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises compressing a portion of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the plurality of operations comprises pulling at least a portion of the child-resistant cover away from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises threads and the child-resistant cover comprises threads to engage the threads of the chamber.

In some embodiments, the vaporization device further comprises a stem.

In some embodiments, the stem comprises threads and the child-resistant cover comprises threads to engage threads of the stem.

In some embodiments, the threads of the child-resistant cover comprise threads that extend radially outwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the threads of the threads of the child-resistant cover also or instead comprise threads that extend radially inwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a mouth-piece.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a first component and a second component.

In some embodiments, the first component or the second component comprises a mouth-piece.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a cooperative engagement to connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the cooperative engagement permits rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a first protrusion and the second component comprises a second protrusion to engage the first protrusion and connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion extends radially outwards and the second protrusion extends radially inwards.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion comprises a first annular protrusion and the second protrusion comprises a second annular protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a clutch to releasably engage the first component with the second component and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a rib and the second component comprises a groove to engage the rib and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component is biased relative to the second component by a resilient member.

In some embodiments, the first component and the second component are pushed apart by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the first component and the second component are pulled together by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the resilient member comprises at least one of a spring and a gasket.

In some embodiments, the groove comprises a slanted edge.

In some embodiments, the rib comprises a slanted edge.

In some embodiments, the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the slanted edge of the rib and/or the slanted edge of the groove.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a first aperture to releasably engage with a rigid member and the second component comprises a second aperture to releasably engage with the rigid member, wherein the rigid member inhibits rotation of the first component relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a sidewall to cover a portion of the second component.

In some embodiments, an outside wall of the second component comprises a bearing that is freely rotatable relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the bearing comprises a first aperture to releasably engage with a rigid member and the second component comprises a second aperture to releasably engage with the rigid member, wherein the rigid member inhibits rotation of the bearing relative to the second component.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a first protrusion and the child-resistant cover comprises a second protrusion to engage with the first protrusion and inhibit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a first protrusion and the child-resistant cover comprises a second protrusion to engage with the first protrusion, inhibit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion is an annular protrusion comprising a notch, and wherein the second protrusion comprises a tab that is passable through the notch to engage or disengage with the annular protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member, the resilient member comprising the second protrusion, wherein the resilient member is deformable to engage or disengage the second protrusion and the first protrusion.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a protrusion, the protrusion comprising a notch, and the child-resistant cover comprises a tab to engage the notch and inhibit a release of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the notch inhibits rotation of the tab relative to the protrusion.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a gasket to bias the child-resistant cover away from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the tab and the notch are reversibly engaged by the gasket.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a resilient member, the resilient member comprising the tab, wherein the resilient member is deformable to engage or disengage the tab and the notch.

In some embodiments, the vaporization device further comprises a one-way lock to inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a direction.

In some embodiments, the one-way lock comprises a ratchet engagement.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a toothed surface and the child-resistant cover comprises a first pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member to bias the first pawl towards the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the first pawl and the toothed surface are reversibly engaged by the resilient member.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover comprises a lever to disengage the first pawl and the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises a second pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the second direction and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the first direction.

In some embodiments, the lever engages the second pawl and the toothed surface.

In some embodiments, the vaporization device further comprises a one-way drive to enable the rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and inhibit the rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction.

In some embodiments, the vaporization device further comprises a release mechanism to permit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the chamber comprises a resilient member comprising a tab, and the child-resistant cover comprises a notch to reversibly engage the tab and inhibit movement of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the resilient member biases the tab into engagement with the notch.

In some embodiments, the child-resistant cover further comprises an aperture, located adjacent to the notch, to receive a key and permit disengagement of the tab from the notch.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus comprising: a cover to engage a vaporization device cartridge chamber and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber, the cover comprising: a first component; and a second component rotatable relative to the first component, wherein the first component or the second component comprises a mouth-piece.

In some embodiments, the cover further comprises a cooperative engagement to connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first component comprises a first protrusion and the second component comprises a second protrusion to engage the first protrusion and connect the first component to the second component.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion extends radially outwards and the second protrusion extends radially inwards.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion comprises a first annular protrusion and the second protrusion comprises a second annular protrusion.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method comprising: providing a child-resistant cover to releasably engage a vaporization device cartridge chamber and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: providing the chamber for the vaporization substance.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: providing an atomizer for vaporizing the vaporization substance; and providing a base coupled to the atomizer.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: providing the vaporization sub stance.

In some embodiments, providing the vaporization substance comprises at least partially filling the chamber with the vaporization substance.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: providing the vaporization substance; adding the vaporization substance to the chamber to at least partially fill the chamber; engaging the child-resistant cover with the chamber to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: providing the vaporization substance; assembling the child-resistant cover, the chamber, and the base coupled to the atomizer, the assembling comprising engaging the child-resistant cover with the chamber to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: providing a battery compartment.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises: providing a battery compartment; assembling the child-resistant cover, the chamber, the base coupled to the atomizer, and the battery compartment.

In some embodiments, the assembling comprises engaging the base with the battery compartment, and the method further comprises: disengaging the battery compartment from the base; installing or replacing a battery in the battery compartment; engaging the battery compartment with the base.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a cartridge disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: compressing the first component and the second component; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a cartridge disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: aligning the first aperture and the second aperture; engaging the rigid member with the first aperture and the second aperture; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a cartridge disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: aligning the tab with the notch; and pushing or pulling the tab through the notch.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a cartridge disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: compressing the child-resistant cover and the chamber; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a cartridge disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: deforming the resilient member; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a cartridge disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: manipulating the lever to disengage the first pawl and the toothed surface; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of the cartridge disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: disengaging the tab from the notch; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a vaporization device disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: compressing the first component and the second component; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a vaporization device disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: aligning the first aperture and the second aperture; engaging the rigid member with the first aperture and the second aperture; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a vaporization device disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: aligning the tab with the notch; and pushing or pulling the tab through the notch.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a vaporization device disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: compressing the child-resistant cover and the chamber; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a vaporization device disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: deforming the resilient member; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a vaporization device disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: manipulating the lever to disengage the first pawl and the toothed surface; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of use of a vaporization device disclosed herein for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: disengaging the tab from the notch; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.

Other aspects and features of embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a plan view of an example vaporization device;

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the vaporization device in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view through the center of a cap and a chamber of the vaporization device in FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 3A is an axial cross-sectional and partially exploded view of a child-resistant cap according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional and assembled view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is another cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 3A, illustrating an example of a clutch engagement between components of the child-resistant cap;

FIG. 3D is yet another cross-sectional view illustrating the child-resistant cap in FIG. 3A, along line A-A in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is an axial cross-sectional view of another example child-resistant cap, which includes a bearing;

FIG. 4B is an axial cross-sectional view of a further example child-resistant cap, which includes a key mechanism;

FIG. 5A is an exploded view of a chamber and a child-resistant cap according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 5A, along line B-B in FIG. 5B;

FIG. 6A is an exploded view of a chamber and a child-resistant cap according to another embodiment;

FIG. 6B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 6A, along line C-C in FIG. 6B;

FIG. 6D is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 6B under compression from its sides;

FIG. 7A is an exploded view of a chamber and a child-resistant cap according to yet another embodiment;

FIG. 7B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7C is a diagram illustrating a partially assembled view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7D is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8A is an exploded view of a chamber and a child-resistant cap according to a further embodiment;

FIG. 8B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 8A;

FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 8A;

FIG. 8D is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 8C, along line D-D in FIG. 8C;

FIG. 8E is another cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 8A, also along line D-D in FIG. 8C but with a lever in a different position than in FIG. 8C;

FIG. 9A is an exploded view of a chamber and a child-resistant cap according to another embodiment;

FIG. 9B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 9A;

FIG. 9C is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 9A;

FIG. 9D is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 9C, along line E-E in FIG. 9C;

FIG. 9E is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 9A, along line E-E in FIG. 9C but with a lever in a different position than in FIG. 9C;

FIG. 10A is an exploded view of a chamber and a child-resistant cap according to yet another embodiment;

FIG. 10B is a top view of the chamber in FIG. 10A;

FIG. 10C is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 10A;

FIG. 10D is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 10A; and

FIG. 10E is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap and the chamber in FIG. 10A, along line F-F in FIG. 10D.

FIGS. 11 to 18 are flow diagrams illustrating methods according to further embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For illustrative purposes, specific example embodiments will be explained in greater detail below in conjunction with the figures. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure provides many applicable concepts that can be embodied in any of a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. For example, embodiments could include additional, different, or fewer features than shown in the drawings. The figures are also not necessarily drawn to scale.

The present disclosure relates, in part, to vaporization devices for vaporization substances that include active substances such as cannabinoids or nicotine. However, the vaporization devices described herein could also or instead be used for vaporization substances without an active substance. As used herein, the term “cannabinoid” is generally understood to include any chemical compound that acts upon a cannabinoid receptor. Cannabinoids could include endocannabinoids (produced naturally by humans and animals), phytocannabinoids (found in cannabis and some other plants), and synthetic cannabinoids (manufactured artificially).

Examples of phytocannabinoids include, but are not limited to, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabigerol monomethylether (CBGM), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidiol monomethylether (CBDM), cannabidiol-C4 (CBD-C4), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabidiorcol (CBD-C1), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THCA-A), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabionolic acid B (THCA-B), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid-C4 (THCA-C4), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-C4, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabiorcol (THC-C1), delta-7-cis-iso tetrahydrocannabivarin, delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabicyclovarin (CBLV), cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabinol (CBN), cannabinol methylether (CBNM), cannabinol-C4 (CBN-C4), cannabivarin (CBV), cannabinol-C2 (CBN-C2), cannabiorcol (CBN-C1), cannabinodiol (CBND), cannabinodivarin (CBVD), cannabitriol (CBT), 10-ethoxy-9hydroxy-delta-6a-tetrahydrocannabinol, 8,9-dihydroxy-delta-6a-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabitriolvarin (CBTV), ethoxy-cannabitriolvarin (CBTVE), dehydrocannabifuran (DCBF), cannabifuran (CBF), cannabichromanon (CBCN), cannabicitran (CBT), 10-oxo-delta-6a-tetrahydrocannabionol (OTHC), delta-9-ci s-tetrahydrocannabinol (ci s-THC), 3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-7-hydroxy-alpha-alpha-2-trimethyl-9-n-propyl-2, 6-methano-2H-1-benzoxocin-5-methanol (OH-iso-HHCV), cannabiripsol (CBR), trihydroxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (triOH-THC), cannabinol propyl variant (CBNV), and derivatives thereof.

Examples of synthetic cannabinoids include, but are not limited to, naphthoylindoles, naphthylmethylindoles, naphthoylpyrroles, naphthylmethylindenes, phenylacetylindoles, cyclohexylphenols, tetramethylcyclopropylindoles, adamantoylindoles, indazole carboxamides, and quinolinyl esters.

A cannabinoid may be in an acid form or a non-acid form, the latter also being referred to as the decarboxylated form since the non-acid form can be generated by decarboxylating the acid form.

A vaporization substance may comprise a cannabinoid in its pure or isolated form or a source material comprising the cannabinoid. Examples of source materials comprising cannabinoids include, but are not limited to, cannabis or hemp plant material (e.g, flowers, seeds, trichomes, and kief), milled cannabis or hemp plant material, extracts obtained from cannabis or hemp plant material (e.g., resins, waxes and concentrates), and distilled extracts or kief. In some embodiments, pure or isolated cannabinoids and/or source materials comprising cannabinoids may be combined with water, lipids, hydrocarbons (e.g., butane), ethanol, acetone, isopropanol, or mixtures thereof.

In some embodiments, the cannabinoid is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is only psychoactive in its decarboxylated state. The carboxylic acid form (THCA) is non-psychoactive. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC) produce the effects associated with cannabis by binding to the CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

In some embodiments, the cannabinoid is cannabidiol (CBD). The terms “cannabidiol” or “CBD” are generally understood to refer to one or more of the following compounds, and, unless a particular other stereoisomer or stereoisomers are specified, includes the compound “Δ2-cannabidiol.” These compounds are: (1) Δ5-cannabidiol (2-(6-isopropenyl-3-methyl-5-cyclohexen-1-yl)-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol); (2) Δ4-cannabidiol (2-(6-isopropenyl-3-methyl-4-cyclohexen-1-yl)-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol); (3) Δ3-cannabidiol (2-(6-isopropenyl-3-methyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl)-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol); (4) Δ3,7-cannabidiol (2-(6-isopropenyl-3-methylenecyclohex-1-yl)-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol); (5) Δ2-cannabidiol (2-(6-isopropenyl-3-methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol); (6) Δ1-cannabidiol (2-(6-isopropenyl-3-methyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol); and (7) Δ6-cannabidiol (2-(6-isopropenyl-3-methyl-6-cyclohexen-1-yl)-5-pentyl-1,3-benzenediol).

In some embodiments, the cannabinoid is a mixture of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The w/w ratio of THC to CBD a the vaporization substance may be about 1:1000, about 1:900, about 1:800, about 1:700, about 1:600, about 1:500, about 1:400, about 1:300, about 1:250, about 1:200, about 1:150, about 1:100, about 1:90, about 1:80, about 1:70, about 1:60, about 1:50, about 1:45, about 1:40, about 1:35, about 1:30, about 1:29, about 1:28, about 1:27, about 1:26, about 1:25, about 1:24, about 1:23, about 1:22, about 1:21, about 1:20, about 1:19, about 1:18, about 1:17, about 1:16, about 1:15, about 1:14, about 1:13, about 1:12, about 1:11, about 1:10, about 1:9, about 1:8, about 1:7, about 1:6, about 1:5, about 1:4.5, about 1:4, about 1:3.5, about 1:3, about 1:2.9, about 1:2.8, about 1:2.7, about 1:2.6, about 1:2.5, about 1:2.4, about 1:2.3, about 1:2.2, about 1:2.1, about 1:2, about 1:1.9, about 1:1.8, about 1:1.7, about 1:1.6, about 1:1.5, about 1:1.4, about 1:1.3, about 1:1.2, about 1:1.1, about 1:1, about 1.1:1, about 1.2:1, about 1.3:1, about 1.4:1, about 1.5:1, about 1.6:1, about 1.7:1, about 1.8:1, about 1.9:1, about 2:1, about 2.1:1, about 2.2:1, about 2.3:1, about 2.4:1, about 2.5:1, about 2.6:1, about 2.7:1, about 2.8:1, about 2.9:1, about 3:1, about 3.5:1, about 4:1, about 4.5:1, about 5:1, about 6:1, about 7:1, about 8:1, about 9:1, about 10:1, about 11:1, about 12:1, about 13:1, about 14:1, about 15:1, about 16:1, about 17:1, about 18:1, about 19:1, about 20:1, about 21:1, about 22:1, about 23:1, about 24:1, about 25:1, about 26:1, about 27:1, about 28:1, about 29:1, about 30:1, about 35:1, about 40:1, about 45:1, about 50:1, about 60:1, about 70:1, about 80:1, about 90:1, about 100:1, about 150:1, about 200:1, about 250:1, about 300:1, about 400:1, about 500:1, about 600:1, about 700:1, about 800:1, about 900:1, or about 1000:1.

In some embodiments, a vaporization substance may include products of cannabinoid metabolism, including 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC).

These particulars of cannabinoids are intended solely for illustrative purposes. Other embodiments are also contemplated.

FIG. 1A is a plan view of an example vaporization device 100. In FIG. 1A, the vaporization device 100 is viewed from the side. The vaporization device 100 could also be referred to as a vaporizer, a vaporizer pen, a vape pen or an electronic or “e-” cigarette, for example. The vaporizer 100 includes a cap 102, a chamber 104, a base 106 and a battery compartment 108.

The cap 102 is an example of a lid or cover. Although embodiments are disclosed herein primarily with reference to a cap, a cover is not necessarily limited only to a cap that would be attached or otherwise installed at what might be considered a top or mouth-piece end of a chamber or cartridge. Child-resistant features could also or instead be provided in a cover that would be attached or otherwise installed at a bottom end of a chamber or cartridge, in the base 106, for example. The bottom end could also or instead be referred to as an atomizer end or battery end of a cartridge or chamber.

The cap 102 includes a tip 112 and sidewalls 114 and 115, which could be sides or parts of the same cylindrical sidewall in some embodiments. The cap 102, in addition to sealing an end of an interior space of the chamber 104, could also provide a mouth-piece through which a user can draw vapor from the vaporization device 100. The mouth-piece could be tapered, as shown, for a user's comfort. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular shape of the cap 102.

The cap 102 could be made from one or more materials including metals, plastics, elastomers and ceramics, for example. However, other materials could also or instead be used.

In other embodiments, the mouth-piece could be separate from the cap. For example, the cap could be connected to the mouth-piece by a hose or pipe. The hose or pipe could accommodate the flow of vapor from the cap to the mouth-piece. The hose or pipe could also be flexible, allowing a user to orient the mouth-piece independently from the cap.

The chamber 104 is an example of a vessel to store a vaporization substance prior to vaporization. Although embodiments are described herein primarily in the context of vaporization liquids such as oil concentrates, in general a chamber may store other forms of vaporization substances, including waxes and gels for example. In some embodiments, chambers could contain dry vaporization substances. The chamber 104 could also be referred to as a container, a housing or a tank.

The chamber 104 includes outer walls 118 and 120. The outer walls 118 and 120 of the chamber 104 could be made from one or more transparent or translucent materials, such as tempered glass or plastics, in order to enable a user to visibly determine the quantity of vaporization substance in the chamber. The outer walls 118 and 120 could instead be made from one or more opaque materials such as metal alloys, plastics or ceramics, to protect the vaporization substance from degradation by ultraviolet radiation, for example. The outer walls 118 and 120 of the chamber 104 could include markings to aid the user in determining the quantity of vaporization liquid in the chamber. The chamber 104 could be any of a number of different heights. Although multiple outer walls are shown in FIG. 1A at 118 and 120, the chamber 104 is perhaps most often cylindrical, with a single outer wall.

The chamber 104 engages the cap, and could be coupled to the cap 102, via an engagement or connection at 116. A gasket or other sealing member could be provided between the chamber 104 and the cap 102 to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.

Although some chambers are “non-recloseable” and cannot be opened after initial filling, some embodiments disclosed herein apply to recloseable chambers in which the engagement at 116, between the cap 102 and the chamber 104, is releasable. For example, the cap 102 could be a cover that releasably engages the chamber 104 and seals a vaporization substance in the chamber 104. A releasable engagement could include, for example, a threaded engagement or other type of connection, or an abutment between the chamber 104 and the cap 102, without necessarily an actual connection between the chamber and the cap. Such a releasable engagement permits the cap 102 to be disengaged or removed from the chamber 104 so that the chamber can be cleaned, emptied, and/or filled with a vaporization substance, for example. The cap 102 could then re-engage with the chamber 104 to seal the vaporization substance. Several examples of releasable engagements are described herein.

FIG. 1A also illustrates a stem 110 inside the chamber 104. The stem 110 is a hollow tube or air channel through which vapor can be drawn into and through cap 102. The stem 110 may also be referred to as a central column, central post, chimney, a hose or a pipe. The stem 110 includes outer walls 122 and 124, although in many embodiments the stem will likely be cylindrical, with a single outer wall. Materials such as stainless steel, other metal alloys, plastics and ceramics could be used for stems such as the stem 110. The stem 110 couples the cap 102 via an engagement or connection 126. Similar to the engagement or connection 116, the engagement or connection 126 could be a releasable engagement or connection that includes a releasable engagement between the stem 110 and the cap 102. In some embodiments, the engagement 126 is in the form of, or includes, a releasable connection. Illustrative examples are described herein.

Although labeled separately in FIG. 1A, the engagements at 116 and 126 are operationally related in some embodiments, as described by way of example elsewhere herein.

An atomizer 130 is provided at the base of the stem 110, inside the chamber 104. The atomizer 130 may also be referred to as a heating element, a core, or a ceramic core. The atomizer 130 includes sidewalls 131 and 133, which could actually be a single cylindrical or frustoconical wall in some embodiments, and a wicking hole or intake hole 134. The sidewalls of the atomizer 130 could be made from a metal alloy such as stainless steel, for example. The sidewalls of the atomizer 130 could be made from the same material as the stem 110, or from different materials.

The atomizer 130 engages, and could couple with, the stem 110 via an engagement 132, and with the base 106 via an engagement 136. Although the engagements 132 and 136 could be releasable, the stem 110, the atomizer 130, and the base 106 will likely be permanently attached together in most embodiments. The atomizer sidewalls 131 and 133 could even be formed with the stem 110 as an integrated single physical component.

In general, the atomizer 130 converts the vaporization substance in the chamber 104 into a vapor, which a user draws from the vaporization device 100 through the stem 110 and the cap 102. Vaporization liquid, for example, could be drawn into the atomizer 130 through the wicking hole 134 and a wick. The atomizer 130 could include a heating element, such as a resistance coil around a ceramic wick, to perform the conversion of vaporization liquid into vapor.

In some embodiments, the combination of the atomizer 130 and the chamber 104 is referred to as a cartomizer.

The base 106 supplies power to the atomizer 130, and may also be referred to as an atomizer base. The base 106 includes sidewalls 138 and 139, which could be a single sidewall such as a cylindrical sidewall. The base 106 engages, and could also be coupled to the chamber 104, via an engagement 128. The engagement 128 could be a fixed connection. However, in some embodiments, the engagement 128 is a releasable engagement, and the base 106 could be considered a form of a cover that releasably engages the chamber 104 and seals a vaporization substance in the chamber 104. In such embodiments, the engagement 128 could include a threaded engagement or connection or an abutment between the chamber 104 and the base 106, for example. A gasket or other sealing member could be provided between the chamber 104 and the base 106 to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber. Such a releasable engagement enables removal or disengagement of the base 106 from the chamber 104 to permit access to the interior of the chamber, so that the chamber can be emptied, cleaned, and/or filled with a vaporization substance, for example. The base 106 could then re-engage with the chamber 104 to seal the vaporization substance inside the chamber.

The base 106 generally includes circuitry to supply power to the atomizer 130. For example, the base 106 could include electrical contacts that connect to corresponding electrical contacts in the battery compartment 108. The base 106 could further include electrical contacts that connect to corresponding electrical contacts in the atomizer 130. The base 106 could reduce, regulate or otherwise control the power/voltage/current output from the battery compartment 108. However, this functionality could also or instead be provided by the battery compartment 108 itself. The base 106 could be made from one or more materials including metals, plastics, elastomers and ceramics, for example, to carry or otherwise support other base components such as contacts and/or circuitry. However, other materials could also or instead be used.

The combination of a cap 102, a chamber 104, a stem 110, an atomizer 130, and a base 106 is often referred to as a cartridge or “cart”.

The battery compartment 108 could also be referred to as a battery housing. The battery compartment 108 includes sidewalls 140 and 141, a bottom 142 and a button 144. The sidewalls 140 and 141, as noted above for other sidewalls, could be a single wall such as a cylindrical sidewall. The battery compartment 108 engages, and could also couple to, the base 106 via an engagement 146. The engagement 146 could be a releasable engagement such as a threaded connection or a magnetic connection, to provide access to the inside of the battery compartment 108. The battery compartment 108 could include single-use batteries or rechargeable batteries such as lithium-ion batteries. A releasable engagement 146 enables replacement of single-use batteries and/or removal of rechargeable batteries for charging, for example. In some embodiments, rechargeable batteries could be recharged by an internal battery charger in the battery compartment 108 without removing them from the vaporization device 100. A charging port (not shown) could be provided in the bottom 142 or a sidewall 140, 141, for example. The battery compartment 108 could be made from the same material(s) as the base 106 or from one or more different materials.

Although shown in FIG. 1A as a closed or flush engagement, the engagement 146 between the base 106 and the battery compartment 108 need not necessarily be entirely closed. A gap between outer walls of the base 106 and the battery compartment 108 at the engagement 146, for example, could provide an air intake path to one or more air holes or apertures in the base that are in fluid communication with the interior of the stem 110. An air intake path could also or instead be provided in other ways, such as through one or more apertures in a sidewall 138, 139, elsewhere in the base 106, and/or in the battery compartment 108. When a user draws on a mouth-piece, air could be pulled through the air intake path into the stem 110, to mix with vapor formed by the atomizer 130.

The battery compartment 108 powers the vaporization device 100 and allows powered components of the vaporization device, including at least the atomizer 130, to operate. Other powered components could include, for example, one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), speakers or other indicators of device power status (on/off), device usage status (on when a user is drawing vapor), etc. In some embodiments, speakers and/or other audible indicators could produce long, short or intermittent “beep” sounds as a form of indicator of different conditions.

As noted above, in some embodiments, the cap 102, the chamber 104, the stem 110, the atomizer 130, the base 106 and/or the battery compartment 108 are cylindrical in shape or otherwise shaped in a way such that sidewalls that are separately labeled in FIG. 1A could be formed by a single sidewall. In these embodiments, the sidewalls 114 and 115 represent sides of the same sidewall. Similar comments apply to outer walls 118 and 120, sidewalls 131 and 133, outer walls 122 and 124, sidewalls 138 and 139, sidewalls 140 and 141, and other walls that are shown in other drawings and/or described herein. However, in general, caps, chambers, stems, atomizers, bases and/or battery compartments that are not cylindrical in shape are also contemplated. For example, these components could be rectangular, triangular, or otherwise shaped.

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the vaporization device 100. In FIG. 1B, the cap 102, the chamber 104, the stem 110, the atomizer 130, the base 106 and the battery compartment 108 are illustrated as being cylindrical in shape. However, as noted above, this is not necessarily the case in other vaporization devices. FIG. 1B also includes a hole 150 through the tip 112 in the cap 102. The hole 150 could be coupled to the stem 110 through a chimney in the cap 102. The hole 150 allows a user to draw vapor through the cap 102. In some embodiments, a user operates the button 144 to vaporize a vaporization substance. Other vaporization devices could be automatically activated, to supply power from to powered components of the vaporization device, when a user inhales through the hole 150. In such embodiments, a button 144 need not be operated to use a vaporization device, and need not necessarily even be provided.

FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view through the center of the cap 102 and the chamber 104 of the vaporization device in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and illustrates an example of an engagement between the cap and the chamber. In FIG. 2, the cap 102 and the chamber 104 are disconnected or disengaged from each other.

FIG. 2 illustrates inner walls 119 and 121 of the chamber, and inner walls 123 and 125 of the stem 110. The chamber 104 also includes top surfaces 218 and 220, and the stem 110 includes top surfaces 222 and 224.

FIG. 2 also illustrates a bore, passage or channel 200 in the cap 102. The channel 200 could be provided to enable vapor to be drawn from the stem 110 into a user's mouth. The cap 102 also includes projections 202, 204, 206 and 208, shoulders 226, 228, 232 and 234 and a bottom surface 230. In some embodiments, where the cap 102 is cylindrical in shape, the projections 202 and 204 could correspond to different parts of the same annular projection. Similar comments apply to the projections 206 and 208, and the shoulders 226, 228, 232 and 234.

The cap 102 further includes sealing members 210, 212, 214 and 216 abutting the shoulders 226, 228, 232 and 234. The sealing members 210, 212, 214 and 216 could be resilient and made from an elastomeric material, for example. In embodiments where the cap 102 is cylindrical in shape, the sealing members 210 and 212 could correspond to different parts of a first annular sealing member such as an O-ring, washer, or gasket, and sealing members 214 and 216 could correspond to different parts of a second annular sealing member.

In FIG. 2, when the cap 102 is connected to or otherwise engages the chamber 104, the projections 202 and 204 abut the chamber inner walls 119 and 121, respectively, and the sealing members 210 and 212 abut the top surfaces 218 and 220. The projections 202 and 204 could include threads that extend radially outwards from the outermost walls of the projections, to mate with or engage threads on the chamber inner walls 119 and 121 that extend radially inwards. This creates a releasable engagement or connection between the cap 102 and the chamber 104. As the cap 102 is screwed onto the chamber 104, the sealing members 210 and 212 could be compressed by the top surfaces 218 and 220 against shoulders 226 and 228, to form a liquid-tight seal between the cap 102 and the chamber outer walls 118 and 120.

Other configurations of the projections 202 and 204 and the sealing members 210 and 212 are also possible. For example, the projections 202 and 204 could instead be provided to engage the outer walls 118 and 120 of the chamber 104. In such embodiments, the projections 202 and 204 could include threads that extend radially inwards from the innermost walls of the projections to mate with threads on the chamber outer walls 118 and 120 that extend radially outwards. The sealing members 210 and 212 would then be located inside the projections 202 and 204. In an embodiment, a washer-type sealing member could be provided, and could extend between the projections 202/206 and 204/208 to seal between the bottom surface 230 of the cap 102 and the chamber outer walls 118 and 120.

The cap 102 could also or instead connect to the stem 110. When the cap 102 is connected to the chamber 104, the projections 206 and 208 abut the outer walls 122 and 124 of the stem 110, and the sealing members 214 and 216 abut the stem top surfaces 222 and 224. The projections 206 and 208 could include threads that extend radially inwards from the innermost walls of the projections, to mate with threads on the stem outer walls 122 and 124 that extend radially outwards. This creates a releasable engagement or connection between the cap 102 and the stem 110. The sealing members 214 and 216 are compressed against shoulders 232 and 234 on the cap 102 by the top surfaces 222 and 224 of the stem 110 as the cap is screwed onto the stem, to form a liquid-tight seal between the stem and the cap. With the seals formed by the sealing members 210/212 and 214/216, the internal space of the chamber 104, between the stem 110 and the outer walls 118 and 120, is sealed at one end.

Other configurations of the projections 206 and 208 and the sealing members 214 and 216 are also possible. For example, the projections 206 and 208 could instead engage the inner walls 123 and 125 of the stem 110. In such embodiments, the projections 206 and 208 could include threads that extend radially outwards from the outermost walls of the projections to mate with threads on the inner walls 123 and 125 that extend radially inwards. The sealing members 214 and 216 would then be located outside the projections 206 and 208. With projections 202 and 204 outside the outer walls 118 and 120 and projections 206 and 208 inside the inner walls 123 and 125, a single washer-type sealing member extending between the projections 202/206 and 204/208 could seal between the bottom surface 230 of the cap 102 and both the chamber 104 and the stem 110.

In some embodiments, both the stem 110 and the chamber 104 could include threads to engage with threads on the cap 102. In other embodiments, only one of the stem 110 and the chamber 104 has threads. This is one example of the chamber and stem engagements 116 and 126 (FIG. 1A) being operationally related as noted above. Securing either of the chamber 104 and the stem 110 to the cap 102 also engages the other with the cap as well. In further embodiments, other forms of releasable engagements or connections could be implemented between the cap 102 and the chamber 104, and/or between the cap 102 and the stem 110. These forms of releasable engagements or connections could include clips or snap connections, for example, and/or other types of connections.

Other variations in the example shown in FIG. 2 are also contemplated. For example, projections 202 and 204 need not be the same size as projections 206 and 208. One pair of projections could extend farther from the bottom surface 230 than the other pair, and/or one pair of projections could have a different radial thickness than the other. Similarly, the chamber 104 and the stem 110 need not be the same length. The stem 110 could extend axially beyond the chamber 110, for example. The sealing members 214 and 216 could then be located in a groove inside the cap 102 instead of on a shoulder or another part of the bottom surface 230. In an embodiment, threads on the stem 110 are displaced from an end of the stem 110, and the stem extends into the cap 102, past the sealing members 214 and 216 in the cap, when threads on part of the cap are screwed onto the threads on the stem.

The dashed line 240 in FIG. 2 is intended to illustrate that, in some embodiments, a child-resistant feature could be implemented using a multi-part cap body. Although examples of caps with multi-part bodies are disclosed by way of example herein, unitary or single-part cap bodies are also contemplated.

In a refillable and reclosable vaporization device, a chamber is typically filled with a vaporization liquid or other vaporization substance by removing the cap and, in the case of a liquid, pouring the vaporization liquid into the chamber. The chamber could contain an amount of vaporization substance that is potentially harmful if ingested. Children may be particularly at risk, because even relatively small volumes of vaporization substances could be harmful if ingested by a child. In addition, children might not recognize the dangers posed by ingesting vaporization substances. Thus, it may be desirable to limit access to the contents of a chamber by adding child-resistant features to the engagement between a cap and the chamber.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a push-to-turn mechanism is implemented to provide child-resistance for the cap of a vaporization device.

FIG. 3A is an axial cross-sectional and partially exploded view of a child-resistant cap 300 according to one embodiment. The cross-section of FIG. 3A is taken axially through a central axis of the child-resistant cap 300. The child-resistant cap 300 is an example of a cap with a multi-part body, which includes a first component 302 and a second component 304. The first component 302 and the second component 304 are separated from each other in FIG. 3A. In the child-resistant cap 300, the first component 302 and the second component 304 are generally, at least in part, cylindrical in shape. In some embodiments, the first component 302 may be implemented as or otherwise include a mouth-piece, and the second component 304 may be implemented to releasably engage and seal an end of a chamber. However, other implementations are also possible.

The first component 302 includes a tip 306 and a passage 308, which are illustrative examples of the tip 112 and the passage 200 described above with reference to FIGS. 1B and 2. The first component 302 also includes a central protrusion or post 310 with a flange or radial protrusion 314 at its distal end, ribs or lugs 312 and 313, and a sidewall 316. The passage 308 extends through the central protrusion 310. The ribs 312 and 313 extend radially outwards from the base of the central protrusion 310, and the radial protrusion 314 extends radially outwards from the distal end of the central protrusion 310, opposite its base.

The second component 304 includes a central passage 326, which in combination with the central passage 308 forms an airway or air channel through the cap 300. The second component 304 also includes an outer wall 336, radial grooves 322 and 323, resilient members 324 and 325, annular protrusions 328 and 330, a sealing member 332, and an annular notch or shoulder 334.

The radial grooves 322 and 323 extend radially outwards from the passage 326. The resilient members 324 and 325 are positioned within the radial grooves 322 and 323. Annular protrusions 328 and 330 extend radially inwards inside the passage 326 in the example shown. A sealing member 332 abuts the bottom of the annular protrusion 330 inside the passage 326.

The second component 304 is configured to releasably engage with, and possibly connect to, a chamber, such as the chamber 104 illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2. For example, the inner axial surface of the annular notch 334 could include threads to engage with threads on an inside wall of the chamber. When the second component 304 is engaged with the chamber, a stem of the chamber engages with the sealing element 332, which is compressed against the annular protrusion 330 to form a seal. The annular notch 334 could also include a sealing member to form a seal with the chamber. This is one possible configuration for releasably engaging or connecting the second component 304 to a chamber. However, as discussed above with reference to FIG. 2, many other configurations are within the scope of the present disclosure. Any of these configurations could be implemented in the second component 304 of FIG. 3A, for example with the sealing element 332 being instead located in a radial groove that is “higher” in the second component 304 in the view shown in FIG. 3A, to seal against a stem that extends axially beyond sidewalls of a chamber. Other arrangements of sealing elements, sidewalls, and/or threads for connecting a cap to a stem and/or a chamber are also possible.

The first component 302 and the second component 304 are connected by a cooperative engagement or connection that permits the first component to rotate relative to the second component. This illustrated in FIG. 3B, which is a cross-sectional and assembled view of the child-resistant cap in FIG. 3A, and illustrates an example of a cooperative engagement that connects the first component 302 and the second component 304. To form the cooperative engagement in this example, the passage 326 of the second component 304 is configured, by being formed with a sufficient size for example, to accommodate the central protrusion 310 of the first component 302. The radial protrusion 314 has a greater diameter than an inner diameter of the annular protrusion 328, such that the radial protrusion 314 and thus the end of the central protrusion 310 are retained in the passage 326 when the radial protrusion 314 is forced into the passage 326. This couples the multi-part cap body, including the first component 302 and the second component 304, together while still allowing the first and second components to be rotated relative to each other.

With the different sizes of the radial protrusion 314 and the inner opening in the annular protrusion 328, it will be necessary to apply force to the first and second components 302 and 304 in order to move the end of the central protrusion 310 past the annular protrusion 328. In some embodiments, the bottom side (in the view shown in FIG. 3B) of the radial protrusion 314 and/or the top side (in the view shown in FIG. 3B) of annular protrusion 328 could be tapered (not shown), to facilitate insertion of the end of the central protrusion 310 past the annular protrusion 328 and into the passage 326. Once the end of the central protrusion 310 is inserted past the annular protrusion 328, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the central protrusion 310 may move and rotate freely in the space or “notch” between the annular protrusion 328 and the annular protrusion 330, within the passage 326. In a child-resistant cap such as 300, it may be intended that the first and second components are not separable after they have been assembled. A force-fit engagement between the radial protrusion 314 and the annular protrusion 328 as described herein and shown in FIG. 3B may be useful in maintaining the first and second components in a connected state, by making it difficult to remove the central protrusion 310 from the passage 326.

This type of cooperative engagement or connection could also be referred to as a snap connection. Many other forms of snap connections between the first component 302 and the second component 304 are also possible. For example, the central protrusion 310 could instead extend from the second component 304 and be received by a passage in the first component 302 through an inward radial protrusion. Other numbers and configurations of protrusions and notches could also or instead be used in a snap connection.

Permitting the first component 302 to rotate freely relative to the second component 304 provides a form of child-resistance. For example, without otherwise engaging the first component 302 and the second component 304, simply gripping and turning the first component relative to a chamber will not turn the second component relative to the chamber, and therefore will not unscrew the second component from the chamber. This could inhibit a child's ability to open the chamber. The second component 304 could be sized such that the outer wall 336 is too small to grip in order to turn the second component relative to the chamber when the cap 102 is assembled with the first component 302 connected to the second component.

In order for a user of a vaporization device overcome the free rotation feature of the child-resistant cap 300, a push-to-turn mechanism is implemented. The ribs 312 and 313, in combination with the radial grooves 322 and 323, represent one example of a clutch engagement between the first component 302 and the second component 304. The clutch is engaged when the first component 302 is pushed towards the second component 304 and the ribs 312 and 313 are forced against the resilient members 324 and 325 and at least partially into the radial grooves 322 and 323. This inhibits rotation of the first component relative to the second component. The first component 302 and the second component 304 are pushed apart by the resilient members 324 and 325. Therefore, the ribs 312 and 313 and the radial grooves 322 and 323 are reversibly disengaged by the resilient members 324 and 325, when no pressure is applied between the first component 302 and the second component 304.

When sufficient force is applied between the first component 302 and the second component 304 to deform (compress in this example) the resilient members 324 and 325, the ribs 312 and 313 enter and engage walls of the radial grooves 322 and 323. This is illustrated in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 3C, and as noted above is an example of a clutch engagement between the first and second components 302 and 304 of the child-resistant cap 300. While in the child-resistant cap 300 is in an engaged or compressed state as shown in FIG. 3C, the engagement between the ribs 312 and 313 and the radial grooves 322 and 323 inhibits rotation of the first component 302 relative to the second component 304. In this state, when the first component 302 is rotated relative to a chamber, the second component 304 will also be rotated relative to the chamber and unscrew the cap 300 from the chamber. As shown, force applied between the first and second components 302 and 304 compresses the resilient members 324 and 325, to allow the ribs 312 and 313 to enter and engage the grooves 324 and 325.

In some embodiments, the resilient members 324 and 325 are made of an elastomeric material which can be deformed under pressure. The resilient members 324 and 325 could be springs or gaskets, for example. In an embodiment, the resilient members 324 and 325 are implemented as a coil spring around the central protrusion 310, and the coil spring acts between the protrusion 328 and the ribs 312 and 313 to bias the first component away from the second component. Other possible embodiments include, for example: a coil spring around the ribs 312 and 313, and acting between a top surface of the second component 304 and a bottom surface of the first component 302 in the view shown in FIG. 3C; a coil spring (optionally in an annular groove in the top surface of the second component 304) around the passage 326 and acting between a top surface of the second component (or the annular groove) and a bottom surface of the first component 302 or the ribs 312 and 313 in the view shown in FIG. 3C; a coil spring acting between the protrusions 314 and 330 inside the passage 326; and/or other types of springs such as leaf springs, disc springs, split rings, etc.

In general, the child-resistant cap 300 could include any number of resilient members. Moreover, the position and orientation of the resilient members could be configured in any manner such that the first component 302 is biased away from the second component 304. In addition, although the above examples refer to resilient members that would be deformed by compression, a push-to-turn mechanism could also or instead be implemented using one or more resilient members in tension. A coil spring acting between the protrusions 314 and 328 inside the passage 326, for example, could bias the first and second components 302 and 304 away from each other, be extended when a force is applied between the first and second components, and then act in tension to return the first and second components to a position in which the ribs 312 and 313 disengage the grooves 324 and 325.

In some embodiments, the ribs 312 and 313 and the radial grooves 322 and 323 are themselves designed to inhibit turning of the second component 304 with the first component 302 in at least a certain direction. This is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 3D, which is another cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap 300. The cross-section in FIG. 3D is taken along the line labeled as “A-A” in FIG. 3A. FIG. 3D illustrates a cross-section of the rib 313 and the groove 323. The rib 313 includes a slanted or tapered axial edge 340 and a straight axial edge 344, which is a vertical edge in the view shown in FIG. 3D. Similarly, the groove 323 includes a slanted or tapered axial edge 342 and a straight axial edge 346, which is a vertical edge in the view shown in FIG. 3D. When the first component 302 and the second component 304 are pushed together, the resilient member 325 is deformed and the rib 313 engages the groove 323. If the first component 302 is turned relative to the second component 304 in one direction, such that the straight axial edge 344 abuts the straight axial edge 346, then relatively good engagement for rotation of the second component is achieved between the rib 313 and the groove 323, compared to engagement between the slanted surfaces 340 and 342 for rotation in the opposite direction.

In the first turning direction, where the straight axial edge 344 abuts the straight axial edge 346, the force applied between the first component 302 and the second component 304 is only required to deform the resilient members 324 and 325 in order to maintain the engagement between the rib 313 and the radial groove 323. This turning direction may correspond to tightening the second component 302 onto a chamber. If the first component 302 is turned relative to the second component 304 in the other direction, such that the slanted edge 340 abuts the slanted edge 342, then relatively poor engagement is achieved between the rib 313 and the radial groove 323. The slanted edges 340 and 342 will tend to slide against each other in this turning direction, and therefore a larger force is required to maintain the engagement between the rib 313 and the groove 323. In effect, the slanted edges bias the first component 302 away from the second component 304 when turning in a certain direction. Therefore, the rib 313 and the radial groove 323 are reversibly disengaged by the slanted edges, when no pressure is applied between the first component 302 and the second component 304. This turning direction may correspond to unscrewing the second component 302 from the chamber, and could provide a more effective barrier against a child opening a chamber that is sealed using the child-resistant cap 300.

In some embodiments, ribs or lugs with slanted edges such as 340 and 342 could themselves provide sufficient child resistance, even without resilient members 324 and 325. Such slanted or tapered ribs, in conjunction with slanted or tapered grooves in some embodiments, could provide a form of one-way drive mechanism in the engagement between a cap and a chamber of a vaporization device, and/or between parts of a cap, to provide child-resistance. A one-way drive mechanism could enable the rotation of a child-resistant cap relative to a chamber in one direction, when flat surfaces of ribs and grooves are engaged, and inhibit the rotation of the child-resistant cap relative to the chamber in another direction, as tapered rib and/or groove surfaces would tend to slip without additional axial force being applied in an arrangement as shown in FIG. 3D but without resilient members 324 and 325.

Although the child-resistant cap 300 illustrates a push-to-turn mechanism, a pull-to-turn mechanism may also or instead be implemented in other embodiments. In pull-to-turn embodiments, a first component is engaged with a second component when they are pulled apart. The first component and the second component could be pulled together by one or more resilient members, thereby biasing the components into the disengaged state. For example, referring again to FIG. 3B, one or more engagement structures, such as ribs and grooves, could be provided on projections 314 and 328 and engaged when the first and second components 302 and 304 are pulled apart. A pull-to-turn mechanism could be more intuitive for operation in removing a cap, for example.

Multiple child-resistance features could be implemented in combination. One or more pull-to-turn engagement structures could be provided in combination with the push-to-turn features shown in FIG. 3B, for example. Such combined embodiments need not necessarily involve a higher parts count. A single coil spring coupled between the projections 314 and 330, for example, could bias the first and second components 302 and 304 into a neutral position in which both push-to-turn and pull-to-turn mechanisms are disengaged. In this example, a pushing force would be required to compress the coil spring to engage the push-to-turn mechanism, and a pulling force would be required to extend the coil spring to engage the pull-to-turn mechanism.

The examples described with reference to FIGS. 3A-3D, and others herein, permit free rotation of the first and second components 302 and 304 relative to each other. This could provide a degree of child resistance in that the outermost part of the multi-part cap 300, namely the first component 302, cannot simply be gripped and rotated to open the chamber. It may also be desirable to limit the extent to which the second component 304 is accessible to a user, so that it is more difficult for the user to directly grip and turn the second component 304 to open a chamber. In FIG. 3B, it can be seen that the second component 304 is partially accessible through at least part of the range of axial movement between the first component 302 and the second component. In some embodiments, the sidewall 316 of the first component 302 might not cover or overlap the sidewall 336 of the second component 304 at all. In order to provide or potentially enhance a measure of child resistance, the sidewall 316 of the first component 302 could be extended in an axial direction, so that any exposed portion of the outer wall 336 of the second component 304, within the full axial range of displacement between the first and second components, is too small to grip and turn relative to the chamber. The axial dimension of the second component 304, or at least at its outer wall 336, could also or instead be set such that the exposed outer surface, if any, is too small to grip and turn relative to the chamber.

According to some aspects of the disclosure, a slip ring or bearing is implemented on a component of a multi-part cap to provide a form of child-resistance. FIG. 4A is an axial cross-sectional view of another example child-resistant cap 400, which includes a bearing. The child-resistant cap 400 includes the first component 302 described above with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3D. The child resistant cap 400 also includes a second component 404, which is similar to the second component 304 of FIGS. 3A to 3D, with the exception that a bearing is implemented in place of a fixed outer wall 336.

In FIG. 4A, the bearing is implemented on the outer surface of the second component 404. The bearing includes an outer race 437 formed in an outer bearing ring 436, ball bearings 438 and 439, and an inner race 445 formed in a body 444 of the second component 404. The ball bearings 438 and 439 are positioned in a cavity formed by the outer race 437 and the inner race 445. When the outer bearing ring 436 is gripped, the outer race 437 turns on the ball bearings 438 and 439 about the body 444, and in this sense the bearing is freely rotatable relative to the second component 404. The body 444 contains the annular notch 334, and therefore the body 444 is the portion of the second component 404 for connection to a chamber. As such, turning the outer bearing ring 436 relative to a chamber will not turn the second component 404 to open the chamber. Thus, the implementation of the bearing may limit the extent to which a user can grip and turn the second component 404 relative to the chamber, and could therefore provide an additional form of child-resistance.

The bearing illustrated in FIG. 4A could be used in addition to or instead of extending the sidewall 316 or limiting the size of the outer wall 336, to inhibit a user gripping and turning a second component of a multi-part cap to open a chamber. The sidewall 316 could, but need not necessarily, axially overlap the outer bearing ring at all within the range of motion of the first component 302 relative to the second component 404.

A slip ring could be similar to a bearing as shown in FIG. 4A, but without bearing races 437 and 445 or ball bearings 438, 439. A slip ring could partially or entirely cover an outer wall of the second component of a cap, and be coupled to the second cap component in a manner that prevents axial movement of the slip ring off the second cap component but allows the slip ring to freely rotate around the second cap component.

According to some aspects of the disclosure, a key mechanism is implemented to provide child-resistance in a cap of a vaporization device. FIG. 4B is an axial cross-sectional view of a further example child-resistant cap 450, which includes a key mechanism. The child-resistant cap 450 includes a first component 452 and a second component 454. The first component 452 is similar to the first component 302 described above with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3D, with the exception that the ribs 312 and 313 have been removed, and an aperture 470 extends through the sidewall 316. The second component 454 is similar to the second component 304 described above with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3D, with the exception that the radial grooves 322 and 323, and the resilient members 324 and 325, are removed. The second component also includes an aperture 472. An optional resilient member 462 is also shown in FIG. 4B.

In order for a user of a vaporization device overcome the free rotation feature of the child-resistant cap 450, a key mechanism is implemented. A user may push a key through the apertures 470 and 472 when the apertures are aligned, to engage the first component 452 and the second component 454. This inhibits rotation of the first component 452 relative to the second component 454, and enables the user to unscrew the second component from a chamber. The optional resilient member 462 could be implemented to bias the first component 452 away from the second component 454, such that a user must push the first component towards the second component to align the apertures 470 and 472.

A key is a rigid member capable of engaging the first component 452 and the second component 454. A key could be made of metal or plastic, for example. The apertures 470 and 472 could be circular bores, for example, or be formed with a distinct shape that corresponds to a specific key design. A key could be provided as part of a refill kit for a refillable chamber that also includes instructions for usage and refilling of the chamber, and/or could be packaged with a refillable chamber, for example.

In some embodiments, a child-resistant cap could include both a key mechanism and a bearing. For example, apertures could be formed in the outer bearing ring 436 and the body 444 of FIG. 4A. When these apertures are aligned, a key may be used to engage the outer bearing ring 436 and the body 444, which inhibits a rotation of the outer bearing ring 436 relative to the body 444, and enables a user to unscrew the child-resistant cap from a chamber. In these embodiments, a component similar to the first component 302 is not necessary to provide child resistance, and a mouth-piece could instead be implemented on the second component 404.

Advantageously, the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3D and FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate child-resistant caps that operate independently of a chamber. In other words, a chamber might not need any modifications to provide child-resistance. Other embodiments could involve modifications to a chamber, and examples are disclosed herein.

According to some aspects of the disclosure, an align-to-lift mechanism is implemented in the connection between a cap and a chamber in a vaporization device to provide child-resistance.

Referring to FIG. 5A, an exploded view of a chamber 500 and a child-resistant cap 510 according to one embodiment is shown. The chamber 500 and the child-resistant cap 510 are generally, at least in part, cylindrical in shape. The chamber 500 and the child-resistant cap 510 are viewed from the side in FIG. 5A. The chamber 500 includes an outer wall 502, a top 504, and an annular protrusion or flange 506, which forms a notch 508 or has the notch formed therein. The annular protrusion 506 wraps around the outer wall 502 of the chamber 500, proximate to the top 504. An indicator 526 marks the position of the notch on the circumference of the chamber 500. An indicator could include, for example, printed matter, protrusions, or any other form of marking. The chamber 500 may also include a stem (not shown).

The child-resistant cap 510 includes an outer wall 512, a tip 524 and an indicator 528. The indicator 528 marks the position of a tab 516 (shown in FIG. 5B) on the circumference of the child-resistant cap 510. The child-resistant cap 510 couples with the chamber 500 to seal one end of the chamber.

FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap 510. The bottom of a child-resistant cap is the side that faces the internal space of a chamber. FIG. 5B illustrates a bottom surface 522, the outer wall 512, an inner wall 514, the tab 516, and protrusions 518 and 520. The child-resistant cap 510 may also include a passage and a mouth-piece (not shown) to accommodate the flow of vapor through the child-resistant cap. The tab 516 is similar to the protrusions 518 and 520, with the exception that the tab 516 may be smaller in width in some embodiments. The tab 516 and the protrusions 518 and 520 extend radially inwards from the inner wall 512.

The annular protrusion 506, the tab 516 and the protrusions 518 and 520 may form a snap connection. When the child-resistant cap 510 is pressed onto the top 504 of the chamber 500, the tab 516 and the protrusions 518 and 520 may engage with the bottom surface of the annular protrusion 506, such that the annular protrusion sits between the tab, the protrusions and the bottom surface 522. This engagement inhibits release of the child-resistant cap 510 from the chamber 500, while permitting the child-resistant cap to rotate relative to the chamber. FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap 510 and the chamber 500. FIG. 5C illustrates a cross-section taken along a line labelled as “B-B” in FIG. 5B. The top surface of the annular protrusion 506, the bottom surface of the tab 516 and/or the bottom surfaces of the protrusions 518 and 520 may be tapered (not shown) to enable a user to more easily engage the child-resistant cap 510 with the chamber 500.

To release the child-resistant cap 510 from the chamber 500, the child-resistant cap may be rotated to align the tab 516 with the notch 508 using the indicators 526 and 528. The notch 508 is wide enough to accommodate the tab 516. Pushing or pulling the portion of the child-resistant cap 510 that corresponds to the location of the tab 516 will allow the tab to pass through the notch 508, disengaging this portion of the child-resistant cap 510. The protrusions 518 and 520 may be disengaged from the annular protrusion 506 once the tab 516 is disengaged from the annular protrusion. This type of method or mechanism for releasing the child-resistant cap 510 from the chamber 500 is referred to herein as align-to-lift or align-to-remove method or mechanism.

The chamber 500 and the child-resistant cap 510 described above with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C could be made, wholly or in part, from flexible materials such as plastics or elastomers. Flexible materials may require less force to manipulate or deform either component during closing or opening of a chamber. The chamber 500 and the child-resistant cap 510 could also include other forms of engagement, such as the threaded engagements described above with reference to FIG. 2.

According to some aspects of the disclosure, a squeeze-to-turn mechanism is implemented in the engagement between a cap and a chamber of a vaporization device to provide child-resistance.

Referring to FIG. 6A, an exploded view of a chamber 600 and a child-resistant cap 610 according to one embodiment is shown. The chamber 600 and the child-resistant cap 610 are generally, at least in part, cylindrical in shape. The chamber 600 and the child-resistant cap 610 are viewed from the side in FIG. 6A. The chamber 600 includes an outer wall 602, a top 604, an annular protrusion 606, and a notch 608, similar to the chamber 500 described above with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C. The annular protrusion 606 wraps around the outer wall 602 of the chamber 600, proximate to the top 604. The notch 608 is formed in the annular protrusion 606. The chamber 600 may also include a stem (not shown).

The child-resistant cap 610 includes an outer wall 612, a tip 624, a tab 614, and a column 616. The column 616 comprises threads 618 (illustrated as dashed lines) that extend radially outwards. The threads 618 engage with threads (not shown) on the inside of the chamber 600, proximate the top 604, to couple the cap 610 with the chamber 600 and seal one end of the chamber.

FIG. 6B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap 610. FIG. 6B illustrates the column 616, the outer wall 612, an inner wall 613, the tab 614, and threads 618. The child-resistant cap 610 may also include a passage and a mouth-piece (not shown) to accommodate the flow of vapor through the child-resistant cap.

FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap 610. The cross-section in FIG. 6C is taken along a line labelled as “C-C” in FIG. 6B. FIG. 6C includes a threaded engagement or connection 628 (illustrated as double dashed lines), which represents the threads 618 being screwed onto and engaged with the threads on the inside of the container 600. The threaded engagement or connection 628 could seal an end of the container 600. The top 604 of the container 600 is situated within a space 626 formed between the inner wall 613 and the column 616 of the child-resistant cap 610. A sealing member could also be provided in the space 626, between the top 604 and the child-resistant cap 610, to seal a vaporization product in the container 600.

The tab 614 is accommodated by the notch 608 when in the engaged or connected state illustrated in FIG. 6C. The engagement between the tab 614 and the notch 608 prevents a user from turning the child-resistant cap 610 relative to the chamber 600 to loosen or tighten the threaded engagement or connection 628. In order to disengage the tab 614 and the notch 608, a squeeze-to-turn mechanism is provided. The outer portion of the child-resistant cap 610 (e.g., the outer wall 612 and the inner wall 613) is made from or at least includes a flexible material that can be deformed by a user compressing the sides of the child-resistant cap, to disengage the tab 614 from the notch 608 and permit a user to unscrew the child-resistant cap from the chamber 600.

FIG. 6D is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap 610 illustrating an example of the child-resistant cap being compressed from the sides. In FIG. 6D, the child-resistant cap 610, which is viewed from the bottom, is compressed at points 630 and 632. The compression deforms the child-resistant cap 610, moving the sides of the child-resistant cap that correspond to the points 630 and 632 closer to the axial center of the child-resistant cap. The compression also moves the tab 614 further away from the axial center of the child-resistant cap 610. The tab 614 disengages from the notch 608 due to the deformation of the child-resistant cap 610, permitting a user to turn the child-resistant cap relative to the chamber 600. The child-resistant cap 610 can then be unscrewed from the chamber 600. This type of method or mechanism for releasing a child-resistant cap from a chamber is referred to herein as a squeeze-to-turn method or mechanism.

In FIG. 6D, the column 616 is not substantially deformed by the compression at the points 630 and 632. In some implementations, this could be achieved by forming the column 616 from a rigid material, different from the material used for the outer wall 612 and the inner wall 613. In other implementations, this could be achieved by mechanically isolating the column 616 from compression at the points 630 and 632 using the space 626. The column 616 could be formed from the same material as the outer wall 612 and the inner wall 613, but be thicker to provide more rigidity. In some embodiments, there might be no special configuration of the column 616 relative to the outer wall 612 and the inner wall 613, because the chamber 600 and/or the threaded connection between the column and the chamber could prevent deformation of the column 616 during removal of the cap 610.

Deforming the child-resistant cap 610 could also or instead allow a user to screw the child-resistant cap 610 onto the chamber 600. When tightening the threaded engagement 628, the tab 614 could abut against the top of the annular protrusion 606, inhibiting the child-resistant cap 610 from being tightening onto the chamber 600. When the sides of the child-resistant cap 610 are deformed as illustrated in FIG. 6D, the tab 614 may extend radially beyond the annular protrusion 606, permitting the child-resistant cap 610 to be tightened onto the chamber 600.

The chamber 600 and the child-resistant cap 610 described above with reference to FIGS. 6A-6D could be made, wholly or in part, from flexible materials such as plastics or elastomers. Flexible materials may require less force to manipulate or deform during squeezing. In some implementations, only a resilient member on the child-resistant cap 610 is deformed due to a compression at the points 630 and 632. The remainder of the child-resistant cap 610 could be substantially unaffected by the compression. In these embodiments, a tab, such as the tab 614, may be implemented on the resilient member.

Although only one tab and one notch are illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6D, some embodiments include multiple tabs and multiple notches implemented on a child-resistant cap and a chamber. In these embodiments, the engagement between the child-resistant cap and the chamber could involve the multiple tabs being engaged with respective notches. In further embodiments, one or more tabs are implemented on a chamber, and one or more notches within an annular protrusion are implemented on a child-resistant cap.

According to some aspects of the disclosure, a push-to-turn mechanism is implemented in the connection between a cap and a chamber to provide child-resistance. Examples are described elsewhere herein, and a further example is shown in FIGS. 7A-7D.

Referring to FIG. 7A, this drawing shows an exploded view of a chamber 700 and a child-resistant cap 720 according to another embodiment. The chamber 700 and child-resistant cap 720 are generally, at least in part, cylindrical in shape. The chamber 700 and child-resistant cap 720 are viewed from the side in FIG. 7A. The chamber 700 includes an outer wall 702, a top 704 and a protrusion 706. The protrusion 706 extends radially outwards from the outer wall 702, and includes a slanted edge 708, a vertical edge 710, and a notch 712. The chamber 700 may also include a stem (not shown).

In FIG. 7A, the child-resistant cap 720 includes sides 724 and a tip 732. FIG. 7B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap 720, which illustrates a sealing member or gasket 722, an outer wall 724, a tab 726, a bottom surface 728 and an inner wall 730. The tab 726 extends radially inwards from the inner wall 730. The sealing member 722 abuts against the bottom surface 728. The sealing member 722 may be an O-ring, for example. The child-resistant cap 720 may also include a passage and a mouth-piece (not shown) to accommodate the flow of vapor through the child-resistant cap.

FIG. 7C is a diagram illustrating a partially assembled view the child-resistant cap 720 and the chamber 700, but with the cap and chamber in a disengaged state. The walls of the child resistant cap 720, including the outer wall 724, the tab 726 and the bottom surface 728, are transparent and identified with dashed lines in FIG. 7C for the purpose of illustrating internal features. In FIG. 7C, the sealing member 722 is between the bottom surface 728 of the child-resistant cap 720 and the top 704 of the chamber 700. The sealing member 722 is made from, or at least includes, a resilient material to bias the child resistant cap 720 away from the chamber 700.

In FIG. 7C, the child-resistant cap 720 and the chamber 700 are assembled together but are not yet fully engaged or connected. To engage or connect the child-resistant cap 720 and the chamber 700, the child-resistant cap could be pushed and/or rotated relative to the chamber such that the tab 726 abuts against the slanted edge 708 of the protrusion 706. During the rotation, the tab 726 could slide along the slanted edge 708 and engage with the notch 712. FIG. 7D is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap 720 and the chamber 700, and the engagement between the cap and chamber. The sealing member 722 could be compressed when the tab 726 and the notch 712 are engaged, which biases the child-resistant cap 720 away from the chamber 700, and therefore biases the tab into the notch. In this sense, the tab 726 and the notch 712 are reversibly engaged by the sealing member or gasket 722. The compression of the sealing member 722 could also seal one end of the chamber 700 with the bottom surface 728 of the cover 720. The engagement between the tab 726 and the notch 712 inhibits the release of the child-resistant cap 720 from the chamber 700, and further inhibits a rotation of the child-resistant cap relative to the chamber. In order to release the tab 726 from the notch 712, a user could press down to compress the sealing member 722 and disengage the tab 726 from the notch 712. The user could then rotate the child-resistant cap 720 relative to the chamber 700 to return the child-resistant cap to the disengaged state illustrated in FIG. 7C. In this sense, the engagement or connection between the child-resistant cap 720 and the chamber 700 could be considered a push-to-turn engagement.

A squeeze-to-turn mechanism could also be implemented in the engagement between the cap 720 and the chamber 700 to provide child-resistance. Referring to FIG. 7D, the child-resistant cap 720 could be released from the chamber 700 by compressing the sides of the child-resistant cap to disengage the tab 726 from the notch 712. The outer wall 724 of the child-resistant cap 720 may be compressed in a similar manner to that illustrated for the child-resistant cap 610 in FIG. 6D. During the compression, the child-resistant cap 720 may become deformed, moving the tab 726 further away from the axial center of the child-resistant cap and disengaging the tab from the notch 712. The user may then rotate the child-resistant cap 720 relative to the chamber 700 to return the child-resistant cap to the position illustrated in FIG. 7C. This type of method or mechanism of releasing the child-resistant cap 720 from the chamber 700 is referred to herein as a squeeze-to-turn method or mechanism.

Although only one tab and one protrusion are illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7D, some embodiments include multiple tabs and multiple protrusions implemented on a child-resistant cap and a chamber. A fixed spacing could be used between the multiple tabs, with the same fixed spacing between the multiple protrusions. In these embodiments, the engagement between the child-resistant cap and the chamber could involve the multiple tabs being engaged with respective notches of the multiple protrusions. In further embodiments, one or more tabs are implemented on a chamber, and one or more protrusions are implemented on a child-resistant cap. Tabs and notches with different shapes and configurations are also contemplated.

The chamber 700 and the child-resistant cap 720 described above with reference to FIGS. 7A-7D could be made, wholly or in part, from a flexible material such as plastics or elastomers. The chamber 700 and the child-resistant cap 720 could also include other forms of engagement, such as the threaded engagements described above with reference to FIG. 2, releasably held against unscrewing by one or more tabs and one or more protrusions.

According to some aspects of the disclosure, a one-way lock mechanism is implemented in the engagement between a cap and a chamber of a vaporization device to provide child-resistance. The one-way lock could include a ratchet engagement that permits the cap to be screwed onto the chamber, but inhibits the cap from being unscrewed unless the ratchet engagement is reversed or disabled.

Referring to FIG. 8A, an exploded view of a chamber 800 and a child-resistant cap 810 according to another embodiment is shown. The chamber 800 and the child-resistant cap 810 are generally, at least in part, cylindrical in shape. The chamber 800 and the child-resistant cap 810 are viewed from the side in FIG. 8A. The chamber 800 includes an outer wall 802, a top 804, teeth 806 and threads 808. The threads 808 extend radially outwards from the outer wall 802. The teeth 806 also extend radially outwards from the outer wall 802. In this sense, a portion of the outer wall 802 may be considered to be a toothed surface. Although the teeth 808 are illustrated as being rectangular in shape, other shapes, such as triangular shapes, are also contemplated.

In FIG. 8A, the child-resistant cap 810 includes a tip 836, an outer wall 812, a stop 826, and a lever 820. FIG. 8B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap 810, which illustrates the outer wall 812, an inner wall 814, pawls 816 and 818, the lever 820, stops 824 and 826, a resilient member 822, a bottom surface 828, a cylindrical channel 830, and threads 832. The lever 820 passes through the outer wall 812 and the inner wall 814, and rigidly connects to the pawls 816 and 818. The lever 820 could be made from a rigid material, such as plastic or metal. The pawls 816 and 818 could be made from the same material or a different material than the lever 820. The lever rotates about a pivot 821 (shown in FIGS. 8D and 8E) between the outer wall 812 and the inner wall 814. The resilient member 822 biases the lever 820 toward the stop 824. The resilient member 822 may be a spring, such as a coil spring, for example.

The resilient member 822 is connected to the outer wall 812. However, in other embodiments, a resilient member may instead be connected to other components of a child-resistant cap, such as an inner wall. The lever 820 could be biased toward the stop 824 by other forms of resilient member, such as by a flexible tab or leaf spring that is attached to or integrated with the outer wall 812 or the inner wall 814.

The cylindrical channel 830 is a hollow cylinder that protrudes axially from the bottom surface 828 about the central axis of the child-resistant cap 810. The cylindrical channel 830 contains the threads 832 that extend radially inwards into the cylindrical channel 830.

The child-resistant cap 810 may also include a passage and a mouth-piece (not shown) to accommodate the flow of vapor through the child-resistant cap.

FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap 810 and the chamber 800, and an engagement between the child-resistant cap and the chamber. In FIG. 8C, the threads 808 of the chamber 800 are engaged with threads 832 of the child-resistant cap 810. In addition, the pawl 816 is engaged with the teeth 806 of the chamber 800.

FIG. 8D is a cross-sectional view of the cap 810 and the chamber 800 taken along a line labelled as “D-D” in FIG. 8C. The bottom surface 828 is in view in the cross-section of FIG. 8D. FIG. 8D illustrates a threaded engagement 834, which represents the engagement of the threads 808 and the threads 832. This engagement could be achieved by screwing the child-resistant cap 810 onto the chamber 800. FIG. 8D also illustrates the pawl 816 engaged with the teeth 806 of the chamber 800 (i.e., the pawl 816 is positioned between the teeth 806), which results from the resilient member 822 biasing the lever 820 in a clockwise direction. In this sense, the pawl 816 and the toothed surface are reversibly engaged by the resilient member 822. Screwing the child-resistant cap 810 onto the chamber 800 corresponds to the child-resistant cap 810 turning counter-clockwise relative to the chamber 800 in FIG. 8D. This direction of rotation is permitted as no stop is inhibiting the lever 820 from pivoting in a counter-clockwise direction for a certain distance. When the pawl 816 abuts a tooth during this rotation, the lever 820 will rotate counter-clockwise until the pawl 816 is able to pass over the tooth. The resilient member 822 will then bias the lever 820 back towards the stop 824 when the pawl 816 is no longer abutting a tooth. Therefore, the child-resistant cap 810 can be screwed onto the chamber 800 while the pawl 816 is engaged with the teeth 806.

The child-resistant cap 810 is inhibited from rotating clockwise relative to the chamber 800. During this rotation, when the lever 820 abuts a tooth 806, the stop 824 will inhibit the lever 820 from pivoting in a clockwise direction to clear the tooth. Therefore, the child-resistant cap 810 is inhibited from be unscrewed from the chamber 800. This may be considered to be a form of one-way lock, with the engagement between the child-resistant cap 810 and the chamber 800 considered to be a ratchet engagement.

The child-resistant cap 810 may be unscrewed and removed from the chamber 800 by manipulating the lever 820. This is illustrated in FIG. 8E, which is another cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap 810 and the chamber 800. The cross-section of FIG. 8E is also taken along the line labelled as “D-D” in FIG. 8C, but with the lever 820 in a different position than in FIG. 8C. In FIG. 8E, the lever 820 is pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction by a user, which overcomes the bias applied by the resilient member 822. When the lever 820 is pushed into abutment with the stop 826, only the pawl 818 engages with the teeth 806. The pawl 816 does not engage with the teeth 806 in this position of the lever 820.

Unscrewing the child-resistant cap 810 from the chamber 800 corresponds to the child-resistant cap 810 turning clockwise relative to the chamber 800 in FIG. 8E. This direction of rotation is permitted in FIG. 8E because no stop is inhibiting the lever 820 from pivoting in a clockwise direction for a certain distance. When the pawl 818 abuts a tooth 806 during this rotation of the cap 810 relative to the chamber 800, the lever 820 can pivot in a clockwise direction until the pawl 818 is able to pass over the tooth. The user could then force the lever 820 back towards the stop 826. This allows the child-resistant cap 810 to be unscrewed from the chamber 800 when the pawl 818 is engaged with the teeth 806. The number of times that the lever 820 must be operated to enable it to pivot around a tooth 806 will depend on such features as axial length of the teeth, spacing between the teeth, and how far the cover must be rotated so that the lever 820 clears the teeth during removal of the cap 810. Although the teeth 806 are spaced relatively closely in FIG. 8E, fewer teeth with larger spacing could be provided in other embodiments.

With the lever 820 pivoted toward the stop 826 as in FIG. 8E, the child-resistant cap 810 is inhibited from rotating in a counter-clockwise relative to the chamber 800. During counter-clockwise rotation with the lever 820 in this position, when the pawl 818 of the lever 820 abuts a tooth 806, the stop 826 will inhibit the lever 820 from pivoting further in a counter-clockwise direction. Therefore, the one-way lock in the ratchet engagement between the child-resistant cap 810 and the chamber 800 has been reversed in FIG. 8E compared with FIG. 8D.

In some embodiments, the pawl 818 might not be included. Therefore, when the lever 820 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 8E, no pawl is engaged with the teeth 806, and the child-resistant cap may freely rotate in any direction. In this sense, the engagement between the child-resistant cap 810 and the chamber 800 will have been disengaged. An example of a one-way lock with a single pawl is illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9E.

Referring to FIG. 9A, an exploded view of a chamber 900 and a child-resistant cap 910 according to another embodiment is shown. The chamber 900 and the child-resistant cap 910 are generally, at least in part, cylindrical in shape. The chamber 900 and the child-resistant cap 910 are viewed from the side in FIG. 9A. The chamber 900 is similar to the chamber 800 discussed above with reference to FIGS. 8A-8E. The chamber 900 includes an outer wall 902, a top 904, teeth 906 and threads 908. The threads 908 and the teeth 906 extend radially outwards from the outer wall 902.

In FIG. 9A, the child-resistant cap 910 includes a tip 936, an outer wall 912, and a lever 920. FIG. 9B is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap 910, which illustrates the outer wall 912, an inner wall 914, a pawl 916, the lever 920, a bottom surface 928, a cylindrical channel 930, and threads 932. The lever 920 passes through the outer wall 912 and the inner wall 914, and rigidly connects to the pawl 916. The lever rotates about a pivot 921 (shown in FIGS. 9D and 9E) between the outer wall 912 and the inner wall 914. The child-resistant cap 910 could also include a passage and a mouth-piece (not shown) to accommodate the flow of vapor through the child-resistant cap. The cylindrical channel 930 is a hollow cylinder that protrudes from the bottom surface 928 about the axis of the child-resistant cap 910. The cylindrical channel 930 contains the threads 932, which extend radially inwards into the cylindrical channel 930. The child-resistant cap 910 is similar to the child-resistant cap 810 discussed above with reference to FIGS. 8A-8E, with the exception that the child-resistant cap 910 does not include stops, does not include a second pawl, and does not include a resilient member on the outer wall 912.

FIG. 9C is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap 910 and the chamber 900, and an engagement between the child-resistant cap and the chamber. In this engagement, the threads 908 of the chamber 900 are engaged with threads 932 of the child-resistant cap 910. The pawl 916 is also engaged with the teeth 906 of the chamber 900.

FIG. 9D is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap 910 and the chamber 900 taken along the line “E-E” illustrated in FIG. 9C. The bottom surface 928 is in view in the cross-section of FIG. 9D. FIG. 9D illustrates a threaded engagement 934, which represents the engagement of the threads 908 and the threads 932. This engagement could have been achieved by screwing the child-resistant cap 910 onto the chamber 900. FIG. 9D also illustrates the pawl 916 engaged with the teeth 906 of the chamber 900. FIG. 9D further illustrates internal walls 924 and 926 formed between the outer wall 912 and the inner wall 914, in the space accommodating the lever 920. A resilient member 922 is provided on the internal wall 924, which biases the lever 920 in a clockwise direction. The resilient member 922 could be a spring, such as a leaf spring, for example, or could be a tab or other structure provided on or integrated with the cap 910 to bias the lever 920 in a clockwise direction and into engagement with the teeth 906. In this sense, the pawl 916 and the toothed surface are reversibly engaged by the resilient member 922.

In FIG. 9D, the child-resistant cap 910 is permitted to turn counter-clockwise relative to the chamber 900 while the pawl 916 is engaged with the teeth 906, which corresponds to screwing the child-resistant cap onto the chamber. When the child-resistant cap 910 turned counter-clockwise relative to the chamber 900, the pawl 916 on the lever 920 abuts a tooth 906 and be rotated counter-clockwise. Some resistance to this rotation may be provided by the resilient member 922, however this resistance could be overcome by a user. In contrast, the child-resistant cap 910 is inhibited from turning clockwise relative to the chamber 900 in FIG. 9D. When the child-resistant cap 910 is turned clockwise relative to the chamber 900, the lever 920 abuts a tooth 906. Although the lever 920 could be pivoted clockwise around the pivot 921, the extent of this pivoting is limited in the example shown at least by the internal wall 926. Therefore, the child-resistant cap 910 is inhibited from be unscrewed from the chamber 900. In this sense, the child-resistant cap 910 is only permitted to rotate in one-direction relative to the chamber 900. This may be considered to be a form of one-way lock, with the engagement between the child-resistant cap 910 and the chamber 900 considered to be a ratchet engagement.

The child-resistant cap 910 may be unscrewed and removed from the chamber 900 by manipulating the lever 920. This is illustrated in FIG. 9E, which is another cross-sectional view of the engagement between the child-resistant cap 910 and the chamber 900. In FIG. 9E, the lever 920 is pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction and held by a user, which overcomes the bias applied by the resilient member 922. The lever 920 could abut the internal wall 924. With the lever 920 in this position, the pawl 916 does not engage with the teeth 906. Therefore, the child-resistant cap 910 is permitted to rotate freely relative to the chamber 900. This allows the child-resistant cap 910 to be unscrewed from the chamber 900. In this sense, the one-way lock in the ratchet engagement between the child-resistant cap 910 and the chamber 900 has been disengaged in FIG. 9E compared with FIG. 9D.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a release mechanism is used to provide child-resistance for the cap of a vaporization device. A release mechanism is a device that can be locked and/or unlocked through the use of a key. For example, when a key presses a component of a release mechanism on a vaporization device, the release mechanism could disengage, at least in part, a child-resistant cap from a chamber. The child-resistant cap and the chamber could be pressed or screwed together to reset the release mechanism.

Referring to FIG. 10A, an exploded view of a chamber 1000 and a child-resistant cap 1010 according to another embodiment is shown. The chamber 1000 and the child-resistant cap 1010 are generally, at least in part, cylindrical in shape. The chamber 1000 and the child-resistant cap 1010 are viewed from the side in FIG. 10A. The chamber 1000 includes an outer wall 1002, a top 1004, threads 1008 and a leaf spring 1016. The leaf spring 1016 includes a tab 1018. The threads 1008 extend radially outwards from the outer wall 1002 in the example shown.

Examples of materials that could be used in a chamber and cap are disclosed elsewhere herein. The leaf spring 1016 includes a resilient material, which could be the same as a material from which the chamber 1000 and/or the cap 1010 are made in an embodiment. The tab 1018 could be made from the same material(s) as the leaf spring 1016 and/or from one or more different materials.

The leaf spring 1016 could be integral with or coupled to the chamber 1000, by adhesive for example. The tab 1018 could similarly be integral with or coupled to the leaf spring 1016, by adhesive or otherwise.

FIG. 10B is a top view of the chamber 1000, which illustrates the outer wall 1002, the top 1004, an inner wall 1006, the threads 1008, the leaf spring 1016 and the tab 1018. The leaf spring 1016 extends, in part, radially outwards from the outer wall 1002. The leaf spring also extends, in part, in a clock-wise direction around the outer wall 1002 in the view shown in FIG. 10B. The tab 1018 is located proximate the distal end of the leaf spring 1016 relative to the chamber 1000. The tab 1018 extends, at least in part, radially outwards from the central axis of the chamber 1000.

Referring again to FIG. 10A, the child-resistant cap 1010 includes a tip 1036, an outer wall 1012 and an aperture 1020. The aperture 1020 could be similar to the aperture 470 described above with reference to FIG. 4B. FIG. 10C is a bottom view of the child-resistant cap 1010, which illustrates the outer wall 1012, an inner wall 1014, a bottom surface 1028, a cylindrical channel 1030, and threads 1032. The cylindrical channel 1030 is a hollow cylinder that protrudes axially from the bottom surface 1028 about the central axis of the child-resistant cap 1010. The cylindrical channel 1030 contains the threads 1032 that extend radially inwards into the cylindrical channel 1030.

The child-resistant cap 1010 may also include a passage and a mouth-piece (not shown) to accommodate the flow of vapor through the child-resistant cap.

FIG. 10D is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the child-resistant cap 1010 and the chamber 1000, and an engagement between the child-resistant cap and the chamber. In FIG. 10D, the threads 1008 of the chamber 1000 are engaged with threads 1032 of the child-resistant cap 1010. In addition, the tab 1018 is engaged with a notch 1022 (shown in FIG. 10E) on the inner wall 1014 of the child-resistant cap 1010.

FIG. 10E is a cross-sectional view of the child-resistant cap 1010 and the chamber 1000 taken along a line labelled as “F-F” in FIG. 10D. The bottom surface 1028 is in view in the cross-section of FIG. 10E. FIG. 10E illustrates a threaded engagement 1034, which represents the engagement of the threads 1008 and the threads 1032. This engagement could be achieved by screwing the child-resistant cap 1010 onto the chamber 1000. A user could press the tab 1018 toward the chamber 1000 as the cap 1010 is being screwed onto the chamber 1000 so that the tab is located inside the inner wall 1014.

FIG. 10E also illustrates the tab 1018 of the leaf spring 1016 engaged with the notch 1022 of the child-resistant cap 1010. The leaf spring 1016 could bias the tab 1018 into the notch 1022 when the child-resistant cap 1010 and the chamber 1000 are assembled. In this sense, the tab 1018 and the notch 1022 are reversibly engaged by the leaf spring 1016. The reversible engagement between the tab 1018 and the notch 1022 inhibits the child-resistant cap 1010 from rotating relative to the chamber 1000, to help prevent the child-resistant cap from being unscrewed from the chamber.

The aperture 1020 is provided adjacent to the notch 1022 to accommodate a key, which could be a key as described above with reference to FIG. 4B. The key could be pushed through the aperture 1020 to contact the tab 1018 within the notch 1022. The key could then be used to push the tab 1018 out of the notch 1022, deforming the leaf spring 1016. This disengages the tab 1018 from the notch 1022, and allows the child-resistant cap 1010 to be rotated relative to the chamber 1000. Therefore, the child-resistant cap 1010 can be unscrewed from the chamber 1000. The combination of the leaf spring 1016, tab 1018, aperture 1020 and notch 1022 form a release mechanism that permits disengagement of the child-resistant cap 1010 and the chamber 1000.

In other embodiments, a release mechanism may be provided for a child-resistant cap and a chamber without a threaded engagement. For example, a release mechanism could be provided for a child-resistant cap and a chamber that are engaged when pressed together. In this example, the leaf spring could extend, as least in part, in an axial direction, downwards along the chamber 1000 in the view shown in FIG. 10A. A notch could be provided on the child-resistant cap to engage a tab on the leaf spring when the child-resistant cap is pressed onto the chamber. This engagement between the tab and the notch could inhibit movement of the child-resistant cap relative the chamber, and therefore inhibit the child-resistant cap from being pulled off of the chamber. Similar to FIG. 10E, the tab and the notch could be disengaged by pushing the tab away from the notch using a key pushed through an aperture in the child-resistant cap.

In another embodiment, a leaf spring could extend in the opposite direction, upwards along the chamber 1000 in the view shown in FIG. 10A. A user could push the leaf spring and/or the tab toward the chamber 1000 as a cap is screwed or pressed onto the chamber, so that the tab is located inside the inner wall of the cap when the cap is assembled to the chamber. In some embodiments, part of the leaf spring is accessible below an outer bottom edge of the cap when the cap is assembled to the chamber, and the user can then disengage the tab from a notch in the cap by directly pushing the leaf spring toward the chamber instead of using a key. In this case, child resistance could be provided without an aperture or key, and a radial groove could be provided in the cover instead of a notch because no aperture or key and therefore no particular alignment between the tab and a notch are needed to release the tab from the cap.

Other embodiments are also possible. For example, multiple leaf springs, tabs, and/or notches could be provided. Other types of resilient members could be used in addition to or instead of a leaf spring. A tab could have a different shape than shown in FIGS. 10A-10E.

The various embodiments shown in FIGS. 5A-10E illustrate examples of engagement or connection mechanisms by which a cap could be releasably coupled or attached to a chamber. It should be noted that any of these embodiments could include additional features. For example, any cap could include a chimney and hole, or some other form of air channel, to allow a user to inhale vapor through a stem in a chamber. A cap could be coupled to or include a mouth-piece, for example. Providing any sort of opening through a cap, to provide an air channel to a chamber stem, would be counter-intuitive in the context of sealing an interior space of a container. Considering covers or caps for other types of containers such as pill bottles for example, an opening in a cap would defeat the very purpose of the cap.

In addition to providing a seal between chamber walls and a cap, a cap could also provide a seal with a stem of a chamber. Cap and chamber/stem sealing and/or connection options disclosed herein with reference to FIG. 1A, 1B, or 2, for example, could be implemented in conjunction with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5A-9E. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a child-resistant cap and/or a chamber that are configured to require a user to perform multiple operations to disengage the child-resistant cap from the chamber. This configuration could be performed by implementing any of the child-resistant features described herein. For example, with reference to FIGS. 3A-3D, multiple operations are required to disengage the child-resistant cap 300 from a chamber. According to a push-to-turn method, the first component 302 and the second component 304 are compressed to engage the ribs 312 and 313 with the radial grooves 322 and 323, respectively. Following this compression, the child-resistant cap 300 may be rotated relative to the chamber to unscrew the cap. Therefore, at least two distinct operations are required in the push-to-turn method, including pushing part of the child-resistant cap 300 towards the chamber, and rotating the cap relative to the chamber. In such a push-to-turn method, the operations must be performed simultaneously to disengage the child-resistant cap 300. Removal of the example cap 400 in FIG. 4A from a chamber similarly involves performing multiple operations (push and turn) simultaneously.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 1100 for opening a chamber, by disengaging a child-resistant cover from a chamber, using the push-to-turn method. In step 1102, a first component and a second component are moved toward each other, or compressed. In step 1104, a child-resistant cover is rotated relative to the chamber to unscrew the child-resistant cover.

According to the key mechanism illustrated in FIG. 4B, a key is inserted into the apertures 470 and 472 to engage the first component 452 and the second component 454. In this method, at least three distinct operations are required, including aligning the apertures 470 and 472, inserting the key into the aligned apertures, and rotating the child-resistant cap 450 relative to the chamber.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 1200 for opening a chamber, by disengaging a child-resistant cover from a chamber, using a key mechanism. In step 1202, a first aperture is aligned with a second aperture. In step 1204, a rigid member, of which a key as described herein is an example, is engaged with the first aperture and the second aperture. In step 1206, a child-resistant cover is rotated relative to the chamber to unscrew the child-resistant cover.

With reference to FIGS. 5A-5C, multiple operations are required to disengage the child-resistant cap 510 from the chamber 500 using an align-to-lift method. In this method, at least two distinct operations are required, including rotating the child-resistant cap 510 relative to the chamber 500 to align the tab 516 and the notch 508, and pushing or pulling the tab through the notch.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 1300 for opening a chamber, by disengaging a child-resistant cover from a chamber, using the align-to-lift method. In step 1302, a tab on a child-resistant cover is aligned with a notch on the chamber. In step 1304, the tab is pushed or pulled through the notch to release the child-resistant cover.

With reference to FIGS. 6A-6D, multiple operations are required to disengage the child-resistant cap 610 from the chamber 600 using a squeeze-to-turn method. In this method, at least two distinct operations are also required, including compressing the sides 630 and 632 of the child-resistant cap 610, and turning the child-resistant cap relative to the chamber 600. In the squeeze-to-turn method, the operations must be performed simultaneously to disengage the child-resistant cap 610.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 1400 for opening a chamber, by disengaging a child-resistant cover from a chamber, using the squeeze-to-turn method. In step 1402, a resilient member on a child-resistant cover is deformed. In step 1404, the child-resistant cover is rotated relative to the chamber to unscrew the child-resistant cover.

With reference to FIGS. 7A-7D, multiple operations are required to disengage the child-resistant cap 720 from the chamber 700 using a push-to-turn method. In this method, at least two distinct operations are required, including compressing the child-resistant cap 720 and the chamber 700 to disengage the tab 726 and the notch 712, and rotating the child-resistant cap relative to the chamber. Using the squeeze-to-turn method with this example cap, at least two distinct operations are also required, including compressing the sides of the child-resistant cap 720 and rotating the child-resistant cap relative to the chamber 700. In the push-to-turn and the squeeze-to-turn methods, the multiple operations must be performed simultaneously to disengage the child-resistant cap 720.

FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating another example method 1500 for opening a chamber, by disengaging a child-resistant cover from a chamber, using the push-to-turn method. In step 1502, a child-resistant cover and the chamber are compressed, by moving the cover and the chamber together in an axial direction. In step 1504, a child-resistant cover is rotated relative to the chamber to unscrew the child-resistant cover.

The example shown in FIGS. 8A-8D also involves multiple operations to disengage the child-resistant cap 810 from the chamber 800. To reverse the one-way lock, at least two distinct operations are required, including manipulating the lever 820 to disengage the pawl 816 from the teeth 806, and rotating the child-resistant cap 810 relative to the chamber 800 to unscrew the child-resistant cap. In the one-way lock, the multiple operations must be performed simultaneously to disengage the child-resistant cap 810.

Similarly, multiple operations are also required to disengage the child-resistant cap 910 from the chamber 900 in FIGS. 9A-9D. To disable the one-way lock, at least two distinct operations are required, including manipulating the lever 920 to disengage the pawl 916 from the teeth 906, and rotating the child-resistant cap 910 relative to the chamber 900 to unscrew the child-resistant cap. In the one-way lock, the multiple operations must be performed simultaneously to disengage the child-resistant cap 910.

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 1600 for opening a chamber, by disengaging a child-resistant cover from a chamber, using a one-way-drive or one-way-lock. In step 1602, a lever on a child-resistant cover is manipulated to disengage a pawl from a toothed surface on the chamber. In step 1604, the child-resistant cover is rotated relative to the chamber to unscrew the child-resistant cover.

Referring now to FIGS. 10A-10E, multiple operations are required to disengage the child-resistant cap 1010 from the chamber 1000 using the release mechanism. At least one operation is required to disengage the tab 1018 from the notch 1022 using the key. Another operation is then required to rotate the child-resistant cap 1010 relative to the chamber 1000.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 1700 for opening a chamber, by disengaging a child-resistant cover from a chamber, using such a release mechanism. In step 1702, a tab connected to a chamber is disengaged from a notch on a child-resistant cover, using a key in some embodiments. In step 1704, the child-resistant cover is rotated relative to the chamber to unscrew the child-resistant cover. In other embodiments, the leaf spring 1016 is deformed and then the cover is pushed or pulled out of engagement with the chamber.

These examples of multiple operations all involve multiple manipulations of at least parts of the cap or chamber. Some actions that could be performed to open a non-child-resistant chamber are not considered to be distinct operations that disengage a cap from a chamber, as defined herein. By way of example, consider a cap screwed onto a chamber of a vaporization device. To open the chamber, a user may grasp the cap and the chamber, rotate the cap relative to the chamber, and lift the cap off of the chamber. However, in this example, only one manipulation operation to disengage the cap from the chamber has been performed. Gripping the cap and/or the chamber does not constitute a distinct operation to disengage the cap from the chamber, as this action has no direct effect on the cap or the chamber. Rotating the cap relative to the chamber does constitute a distinct operation to disengage the cap from the chamber, as the threads of the cap are disengaged from the threads of the chamber. Finally, lifting the cap off of the chamber also does not constitute an operation to disengage the cap from the chamber, as the cap and the chamber are not considered to be engaged after the cap has been unscrewed.

Requiring multiple operations to remove a cap from a chamber could inhibit a child from accessing the contents of a chamber, thereby providing child-resistance. For example, a child might not understand one or more of the operations that must be performed. A child might also lack the coordination to perform the multiple operations, especially if the operations must be performed simultaneously. A child might further lack the physical ability to perform one or more of the operations. Thus, requiring multiple operations to remove a cap from a chamber could provide an effective form of child-resistance for vaporization devices.

Although the embodiments above are described in the context of refillable vaporization devices, the aspects and concepts discussed also apply to other types of vaporization devices such as single-use devices and disposable devices. Furthermore, although some of the embodiments above are described in the context of vaporization devices for vaporization liquids, the aspects and concepts discussed above could also or instead apply to other forms of vaporization substances, such as loose leaf, waxes and gels.

Some of the embodiments described above relate to multi-part caps, where one part can rotate independent of another part. For example, in FIGS. 3A-3D, the first component 302 can rotate freely relative to the second component 304. Such free rotation could provide an ergonomic appeal for a child-resistant cap. If the first component 302 includes a mouth-piece, for example, then this mouth-piece could be rotated independently of the other components of a vaporization device. According to one example, a user could rotate the mouth-piece to orient a power button on a vaporization device to a convenient orientation or to otherwise suit their preferences, without having to over-tighten or loosen the cap to achieve the desired orientation. The free rotation of some components of a vaporization device relative to other components is in no way limited to caps or child-resistant devices. For example, non-recloseable devices could also feature rotatable components, such as a mouth-piece, to allow a user greater freedom in selecting the orientation of the mouth-piece. Moreover, other components of a vaporization device could provide free rotation. For example, the outer wall of a battery compartment, such as the battery compartment 108, could rotate freely relative to a mouth piece to enable a user to conveniently orient a power button or other controls located on the battery compartment.

Embodiments described above relate primarily to caps, covers and cartridges of vaporization devices, and methods of use for such devices or parts thereof. Other embodiments are also contemplated.

FIG. 18, for example, is a flow diagram illustrating an example method 1800 for the production of at least a component of a vaporization device. The example method 1800 involves a step 1802 of providing a child-resistant cover to releasably engage a vaporization device cartridge chamber and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber. The method 1800 also includes an optional step 1804 of providing the chamber for the vaporization substance, an optional step 1806 of providing an atomizer for vaporizing the vaporization substance and a base coupled to the atomizer, and an optional step 1808 of providing the vaporization substance. In some embodiments, providing the vaporization substance includes filling the chamber, at least partially, with the vaporization substance.

The operation 1802 and the optional operations 1804, 1806 and 1808 are shown separately for illustrative purposes, but need not be separate operations in all embodiments. For example, a vaporization device including a child resistant cover, a chamber, an atomizer, a base and/or a vaporization substance could be assembled together and provided in a single unit.

The example method 1800 is illustrative of one embodiment. Examples of various ways to perform the illustrated operations, additional operations that may be performed in some embodiments, or operations that could be omitted in some embodiments, could be inferred or apparent from the description and drawings. Further variations may be or become apparent.

For example, it should be appreciated that components and/or vaporization substances need not necessarily be provided as referenced herein in other ways than by directly producing or manufacturing them. Any one or more of these components and substances could be provided by purchasing or acquiring them from a manufacturer or producer, for example. Therefore, “providing” as used herein is not restricted to, and need not necessarily involve, production or manufacturing by an entity that assembles or uses any of the disclosed embodiments.

In embodiments that involve providing the vaporization substance, a method could involve adding the vaporization substance to the chamber to at least partially fill the chamber, and engaging the child-resistant cover with the chamber to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.

The vaporization substance could be provided with other components of a cartridge, and the child-resistant cover, the chamber, and the base coupled to the atomizer could be assembled by engaging the child-resistant cover with the chamber to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.

A method could involve disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, to initially add the vaporization substance to the chamber, to empty the chamber, to add more vaporization substance to the chamber, and/or to clean the chamber, for example.

Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 18, a method could involve providing a battery compartment, with or without a battery. The child-resistant cover, the chamber, the base coupled to the atomizer, and the battery compartment could then be assembled, and the base could be engaged with the battery compartment, for example. The battery compartment could subsequently be disengaged from the base, to install or replace a battery in the battery compartment, for example. The battery compartment could then be re-engaged with the base.

Other methods are also contemplated. For example, other components could be provided, and assembled together to construct a cartridge for a vaporization device, or a complete vaporization device that is ready for use by a user. One or more components could be provided separately for assembly. Components could be included in a kit, with instructions for assembly and/or use, for example.

Some of the methods of use as described above relate to opening a cartridge by disengaging a cover from a chamber. A cover could also or instead be operated, by performing method steps in a reverse order or direction, for example, to engage a cover with a chamber to seal a vaporization substance in a chamber. A cover might be installed or re-engaged with a chamber during initial assembly, after initially filling the chamber, after refilling the chamber, and/or after cleaning the chamber, for example.

The methods disclosed herein could also or instead be entirely or partially repeated, to install, remove, and then re-install a cover, to produce multiple vaporization chambers or parts thereof, and/or to assemble multiple vaporization chambers or parts thereof.

While the present invention has been described with reference to specific features and embodiments thereof, various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the invention. The description and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded simply as an illustration of some embodiments of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and are contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention and potential advantages have been described in detail, various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of any process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps. 

1. A cartridge for a vaporization device, the cartridge comprising: a chamber for a vaporization substance; and the apparatus of claim 58, comprising a child-resistant cover to releasably engage the chamber and seal the vaporization substance in the chamber. 2-57. (canceled)
 58. An apparatus comprising: a child-resistant cover to releasably engage a vaporization device cartridge chamber and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber.
 59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the child-resistant cover is configured to require a user to perform a plurality of operations to disengage the child-resistant cover from the chamber.
 60. (canceled)
 61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the plurality of operations comprises any one or more of: rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber; pushing at least a portion of the child-resistant cover towards the chamber; compressing a portion of the child-resistant cover; and pulling at least a portion of the child-resistant cover away from the chamber. 62-65. (canceled)
 66. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the cartridge further comprises a stem inside the chamber, wherein the stem comprises threads and the child-resistant cover comprises threads to engage threads of the stem. 67-68. (canceled)
 69. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the chamber comprises threads and the child-resistant cover further comprises threads to engage the threads of the chamber, wherein the threads of the child-resistant cover comprise threads that extend radially outwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover and threads that extend radially inwards from a surface of the child-resistant cover.
 70. (canceled)
 71. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the child-resistant cover comprises a first component and a second component, wherein the child-resistant cover further comprises a cooperative engagement to connect the first component to the second component. 72-77. (canceled)
 78. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the child-resistant cover further comprises a clutch to releasably engage the first component with the second component and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.
 79. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the first component comprises a rib and the second component comprises a groove to engage the rib and inhibit rotation of the first component relative to the second component.
 80. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein the first component is biased relative to the second component by a resilient member, wherein the first component and the second component are pushed apart or pulled together by the resilient member, wherein the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the resilient member. 81-84. (canceled)
 85. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein the groove comprises a slanted edge, wherein the rib comprises a slanted edge, wherein the rib and the groove are reversibly disengaged by the slanted edge. 86-87. (canceled)
 88. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the first component comprises a first aperture to releasably engage with a rigid member and the second component comprises a second aperture to releasably engage with the rigid member, wherein the rigid member inhibits rotation of the first component relative to the second component. 89-92. (canceled)
 93. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the chamber comprises a first protrusion and the child-resistant cover comprises a second protrusion to engage with the first protrusion, inhibit disengagement of the child-resistant cover from the chamber, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber, wherein: the first protrusion is an annular protrusion comprising a notch, and the second protrusion comprises a tab that is passable through the notch to engage or disengage with the annular protrusion, or the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member, the resilient member comprising the second protrusion and being deformable to engage or disengage the second protrusion and the first protrusion. 94-95. (canceled)
 96. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the chamber comprises a protrusion, the protrusion comprising a notch, and the child-resistant cover comprises a tab to engage the notch and inhibit a release of the child-resistant cover from the chamber. 97-100. (canceled)
 101. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising a ratchet engagement to inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a direction, wherein the chamber comprises a toothed surface and the child-resistant cover comprises a first pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction, wherein the child-resistant cover comprises a resilient member to bias the first pawl towards the toothed surface, wherein the first pawl and the toothed surface are reversibly engaged by the resilient member, wherein the child-resistant cover comprises a lever to disengage the first pawl and the toothed surface, wherein the child-resistant cover further comprises a second pawl to engage with the toothed surface, inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the second direction and permit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in the first direction, wherein the lever engages the second pawl and the toothed surface. 102-108. (canceled)
 109. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein: the apparatus further comprises a one-way drive to enable rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a first direction, and inhibit rotation of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber in a second direction, or the chamber comprises a resilient member comprising a tab, the child-resistant cover comprises a notch to reversibly engage the tab and inhibit movement of the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber, the resilient member biases the tab into engagement with the notch, and the child-resistant cover further comprises an aperture, located adjacent to the notch, to receive a key and permit disengagement of the tab from the notch. 110-113. (canceled)
 114. A vaporization device comprising: a chamber for a vaporization substance; the apparatus of claim 58, comprising a child-resistant cover to releasably engage the chamber and seal the vaporization substance in the chamber; an atomizer to vaporize the vaporization substance; a base coupled to the atomizer; and a battery coupled to the base to power the atomizer. 115-169. (canceled)
 170. An apparatus comprising: a cover to engage a vaporization device cartridge chamber and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber, the cover comprising: a first component; and a second component rotatable relative to the first component, wherein the first component or the second component comprises a mouth-piece. 171-174. (canceled)
 175. A method comprising: providing a child-resistant cover to releasably engage a vaporization device cartridge chamber and seal a vaporization substance in the chamber. 176-179. (canceled)
 180. The method of claim 175, further comprising: providing the chamber for the vaporization substance; providing the vaporization substance; adding the vaporization substance to the chamber to at least partially fill the chamber; engaging the child-resistant cover with the chamber to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.
 181. The method of claim 175, further comprising: providing the chamber for the vaporization substance, providing the vaporization substance; providing an atomizer for vaporizing the vaporization substance; providing a base coupled to the atomizer; assembling the child-resistant cover, the chamber, and the base coupled to the atomizer, the assembling comprising engaging the child-resistant cover with the chamber to seal the vaporization substance in the chamber.
 182. The method of claim 181, further comprising: disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber. 183-185. (canceled)
 186. A method of use of the apparatus of claim 71 with a chamber, for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: compressing the first component and the second component; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.
 187. A method of use of the apparatus of claim 88 with a chamber, for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: aligning the first aperture and the second aperture; engaging the rigid member with the first aperture and the second aperture; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber.
 188. (canceled)
 189. A method of use of the apparatus of claim 96 with a chamber, for disengaging the child-resistant cover from the chamber, the method comprising: compressing the child-resistant cover and the chamber; and rotating the child-resistant cover relative to the chamber. 190-199. (canceled) 